Chennai: A driver, while reversing a bus, ran over a stray dog during a routine commute near Sholavandan bus stand on Madurai’s outskirts. The incident occurred on Dec 9 around 6pm, sparking outrage among onlookers.
What shocked witnesses more than the accident was the driver’s indifference — he noticed the injured animal but chose not to stop, driving away and leaving the dog behind. Among those who witnessed the incident was an advocate, who reported it. Acting on the complaint, Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) in Madurai suspended the driver on Dec 13.
According to a copy of the suspension order issued to the driver, V Namashivayam, and accessed by TOI, he was suspended for negligent driving as a temporary disciplinary action, with a detailed memo to follow later in the week.
The decision to suspend the driver has drawn criticism from transport workers’ groups. “We feel it is too harsh to suspend a driver for inadvertently injuring a stray dog. Govt bus employees have become soft targets. Would the govt take similar action against private car or lorry drivers?,” said K Anbazhagan, general secretary of the TN transport workers’ (stop-corruption) federation.
However, there have been instances where private drivers faced action for similar accidents, albeit infrequently. Last year, a man from Ghaziabad was booked after running over a pet dog, an incident that went viral and sparked widespread outrage.
Such drivers can be charged under BNS Sections 281 (rash driving endangering human life) and 325 (mischief by killing or maiming animals), as well as Sections 134(A&B) of the Motor Vehicles Act. However, courts often dismissed these cases.
