Kanjirappally: A KSRTC driver who had faced disciplinary action for allegedly failing to remove plastic bottles from his bus during a inspection  collapsed while driving on Monday afternoon. The driver, identified as Jaymon Joseph (44) from the Ponkunnam KSRTC depot, was rushed to the hospital after the incident.

The incident occurred around 2 p.m. when the bus, operating on the Mundakkayam–Pala route along National Highway 183, reached Poothakuzhi in Kanjirappally. Jaymon reportedly began feeling unwell, experiencing severe sweating and dizziness. Realising the discomfort, he managed to steer the bus safely to the roadside before collapsing.

Preliminary reports suggest that high blood pressure and diabetes might have triggered the medical emergency. The service had to be halted, and Jaymon was later admitted to Kottayam Medical College Hospital for treatment.

The driver had recently been subjected to disciplinary action following an inspection by Transport Minister Ganesh Kumar, who found plastic bottles piled up inside a KSRTC fast passenger bus operating between Mundakkayam and Thiruvananthapuram. In connection with the incident, three employees from the Ponkunnam depot – driver Jaymon Joseph, vehicle supervisor K.S. Sajeev, and mechanical charge man Vinod – got transfer orders on Friday evening from the KSRTC Chief Office.

As per the transfer order, Jaymon was posted to Puthukkad depot in Thrissur district, Sajeev to Thrissur depot, and Vinod to Kodungallur depot. Although the transfer order was briefly put on hold following telephonic instructions on Sunday, the minister reportedly directed on Monday morning that the original order be enforced.

Sajeev is the district treasurer of KSRTEA (CITU) in Kottayam, Jaymon is a member of TDF, and Vinod is affiliated with BMS.

Jaymon expressed deep distress over the disciplinary action

“Ever since I came to know about the transfer order, I’ve been under severe mental stress. I haven’t done anything wrong, and I don’t even know what to do now. I take medicines for blood pressure and diabetes — the water bottles were kept only for that purpose. My parents, wife, and two daughters who are in LKG completely depend on me. My father too has health issues.”” he said.