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Prabhavathi Amma, an elderly resident of Kozhikode’s Chalappuram, has captured widespread public attention after a video of her stopping a scooter rider using a footpath went viral. The clip has struck a chord across Kerala, with many seeing her intervention as a rare assertion of pedestrian rights in the face of routine traffic violations. Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar and the Motor Vehicles Department praised her action.
The incident occurred at the Eranjipalam traffic signal in Kozhikode. Speaking to the media on Thursday, February 12, Prabhavathi Amma said such violations were routine at the junction and that she often intervened when riders ignored the rules. “It is very common here. This is not the first time I have stopped someone. Earlier, I used to file complaints,” she said. She added that the scooter rider asked her to move aside, but she refused.
The viral video, filmed from atop a nearby building, shows Prabhavathi Amma stopping a scooter that had mounted the footpath in an attempt to bypass the signal. Even when the rider tried to edge forward, she stood her ground, blocking the vehicle with her feet. When he again attempted to move ahead, she took out her mobile phone and began recording, at which point the rider backed off.
“I tried to note the vehicle number when he was not ready to move,” Prabhavathi told the media, explaining why she began recording. “When I was in school, I was active in Scouts and Guides, so I was taught civic sense. There was also a time when we had to fight for a seat on the bus,” she added.
Praising Prabhavathi, Kerala Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar said footpaths are not meant for vehicles. “What Amma did is appreciable. Such reactions from citizens are important to rebuild society,” he said.