Lucknow: Two months after being sacked for stopping a long-distance state bus to allow a couple of passengers offer namaz, a conductor has committed suicide.
Mohit Yadav’s contract was terminated in June after he stopped the Bareilly-Delhi Janrath bus of UP State Road Transport Corporation on the highway on the request of two passengers, reported NDTV.
After losing his livelihood, Mohit – whose family of eight survived on his salary of Rs 17,000 — applied for a job at several places but failed to get one.
Driven by frustration and depression amid acute financial crisis, he jumped in front of a train in Mainpuri on Monday, police said.
His wife Rinki Yadav alleged that the Uttar Pradesh Transport Department turned a deaf ear to her Mohit, who called the Regional Manager in Bareilly frequently to explain his action.
“The contract was terminated without even listening to his side. Due to depression, he committed suicide. My husband paid the price for his humanity,” Rinki told reporters.
A video of the incident, shot by one of the travellers, showed Mohit trying to reason with the passengers before asking the driver to stop the bus.
“We are also Hindus… There is no issue of Hindus and Muslims… What can happen if we stop the bus for two minutes,” he had tried to reason.
After the video was circulated in social media, Mohit and the bus driver were suspended by the UP Transport department without any notice.
