Mystery shrouds death of BMTC bus conductor

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The death of a Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus conductor, Muthaiah Swamy, 43, remains shrouded in mystery amid various speculations about the likely cause of it doing the rounds.  

Muthaiah, a native of Bellary district, was charred to death as the bus in which he was sleeping, caught fire during the early hours of March 10 in the Lingadheeranahalli bus station premises in Bengaluru. Prima facie, the BMTC officials have clarified that there was no technical fault found in the bus which was purchased from Tata Motors in 2017. The BMTC officers and Byadarahalli police visited the spot for an inspection.

While some groups have raised suspicion over the bus catching fire around five to six hours after the engine had stopped, others demanded a thorough inquiry into the incident asking why Muthaiah chose to sleep inside the bus when there was a dorm available at the bus station. Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike, a bus commuters' rights forum, wrote a letter to the Karnataka Minister of Transport Department, B Sriramulu, demanding a detailed inquiry into the incident.

"The question arises as to why the conductor chose to sleep in the bus when, as per BMTC, there was a dorm available at the bus station. Was the dorm fit for use? And why do the staff sleep inside the bus in many instances?" the forum questioned in the letter.

Several people expressed doubt if a short circuit can happen while the engine is off. They said that when a vehicle such as a bus catches fire, the person inside would have surely found it difficult to breathe due to the smoke. Even if he was sleeping, the person must have felt the heat due to the fire.

However, the BMTC officials said that they were awaiting the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report on the matter. "The FSL team has collected the samples from the spot and is probing it further. We will know the cause of the fire after the report has been obtained," the officials said.