Thiruvananthapuram: A complaint has been raised alleging that a young woman was made to alight from a KSRTC bus during a night journey. It is said that she was forced off the bus because Google Pay did not work at the time of purchasing an ₹18 ticket. The woman reportedly had to walk about two and a half kilometres to reach home. She has now come forward with a formal complaint.

The incident occurred at around 9 pm on December 26. The complainant Divya is a native of Vellarada and an employee of a private hospital in Kunnathukal.

Divya usually travels home on the last bus from Neyyattinkara at around 9.45 pm after finishing her duty. As she has health issues, on the day of the incident she started home earlier, at around 8.30 pm, and boarded the bus from Koonambanai. She said she had forgotten to take her purse and boarded the bus believing she could pay using Google Pay.

Although she took a ticket worth ₹18, the transaction through Google Pay could not be completed due to a server issue. According to the complaint, an agitated conductor then made her get down at Tholadi.

Divya stated in her complaint: “I explained that it was a server problem and that I would be able to send the money shortly. I also told the conductor that since I was supposed to get down at Vellarada, where the service ends, I could arrange the cash from there and pay him. However, the conductor did not agree. Saying that he was familiar with such fraudsters, he shouted at me to get down and forced me off the bus in a deserted area.”

Divya said she felt it was unsafe to wait at Tholadi, where there were not even streetlights. After informing her husband, she walked nearly two and a half kilometres. Later, her husband reached the spot, she added.

A regular passenger on KSRTC buses, Divya said she often uses Google Pay to buy tickets. She has submitted complaints regarding the incident to the concerned minister and the Vellarada station master.

Depot authorities stated that they have received Divya’s complaint and that a departmental inquiry will be conducted.