The Thiruvananthapuram Additional Sessions Court sentenced a KSRTC bus conductor to five years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually harassing a 14-year-old schoolgirl inside a bus in 2023.
Judge Shibu M.P. who found the accused Sathyaraj, 53, of Vembayam, guilty of the crime, also slapped a fine of ₹25,000 on him. According to the prosecution led by Special Public Prosecutor Ajith Prasad J.K., the incident occurred on August 4, 2023, under the Aryanad police station limits when the Class IX student had boarded the bus on her way to school.
The conductor, attached to the Nedumangad depot, deliberately touched the girl inappropriately while moving inside the bus. The child, who initially assumed it to be accidental, stepped aside. But, the conductor repeated the act. The student later informed her school authorities, who then alerted the Aryanad police.
The court observed that a bus conductor, who is responsible for ensuring the safety of passengers, had grossly misused his position. The court imposed the sentence after accepting the prosecution’s argument that the act was grave and warranted the maximum possible punishment.
The investigation was led by Sheena L., then sub-inspector of Aryanad police. The prosecution examined 13 witnesses and produced 18 documents.
Published – December 03, 2025 07:02 pm IST
