Kerala’s Malappuram District Administration, in a unique manner, is attempting to instil some humanity in the often ruthless private bus staff. On Wednesday, the Malappuram Collector ordered a private bus conductor, who behaved rudely with a student passenger, to serve 10 days in a government children’s home as a caretaker.

The punishment was issued by Malappuram District Collector Jafer Malik after the incident of ill-treatment meted out to the young passenger came to light.

On Tuesday, the conductor, Shabeer Ali, of the private bus ‘Korambayil’, which plies the Vazhikadavu-Parapanangadi route, ignored a student passenger who wanted to alight near Vengara along with his brother. According to reports, the staff of the private bus also paid no heed to the demands of other passengers who asked them to stop the bus for the children.

Higher Education Minister KT Jaleel took cognisance of the issue and asked the Malappuram Collector to take appropriate action.

By Wednesday, the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) tracked the bus and seized it. The conductor was then issued the punishment in the hope that he would behave better with children who travel in the bus.

“It is necessary for private bus staff to change their attitude towards children. The conductor will work for 10 days from 9 am to 4 pm as a caretaker in the Thavanoor children’s home in the district. He will report at the children’s home at 9 am on Thursday (July 25) for the same. He will follow the orders of the superintendent of the children’s home for the next 10 days and based on the superintendent’s report, further action will be taken,” said the post by the Malappuram collector.

The collector also said that he hoped the conductor would turn into an employee who loves children and understands their feelings after the 10 days of punishment.