Bus conductor’s death will be probed: UP minister | India News – Times of India

AGRA: UP state transport minister (independent charge) Dayashanker Singh said on Wednesday that he has ordered a probe into the circumstances that led to the death of Mohit Yadav, a 32-year-old bus conductor with UPSRTC, reports Deepak Lavania.
Mohit killed himself by jumping in front of a running train in Mainpuri on August 28, following months of joblessness after his services were terminated in June for stopping his bus for two minutes to allow Muslim passengers to offer namaz.
The minister, who was busy campaigning for the Ghosi byelection, told TOI, “Required action will be taken against officials in case any fault is found on their part.”
“The entire matter will be investigated,” he said. However, Singh added that “there are reports that Mohit had turned into an alcoholic due to which he took his life”.
Singh said, “Various complaints were received against him (Mohit) for stopping the bus for the namaz. The complaints were received at the local level, the headquarters and on the state government’s Integrated Grievance Redressal System (IGRS) portal.”
The development came even as a crowdfunding initiative began on social media to help the poor family. Many individual donors have also reached out to Mohit’s kin who have said he was the only earning member with a regular income of Rs 17,000 per month. Mohit, suspended within two days of the bus-halt incident on June 3, was the eldest of four siblings in the family of eight. His father is a marginal farmer.
The minister said, “Mohit was dismissed after he was found guilty in a probe conducted by the manager of UPSRTC, Bareilly region. There is no provision of suspension for contractual workers. Termination of service is a standard procedure in case someone is found violating norms or is guilty of misconduct.”
Mohit’s younger brother Rohit said, “The minister’s statement is wrong and highly insensitive. Bhaiya was suffering from acute stress following his termination over an irrelevant issue. Just before he flung himself in front of a speeding train, he had called up our sister. His last words were, ‘What was my fault?’ The entire family, including his four-year-old child and elderly parents, was dependent on him. This has destroyed our family.”
UPSRTC union leader Ravindra Kumar said, “Mohit’s termination was an act of atrocity by the officials. He was an innocent worker. He was not even given a chance to defend himself. He stopped the bus not just for two passengers who wanted to offer namaz but also for others who wanted to use a roadside toilet.We demand a fair probe into the matter. Legal action must be taken against those responsible so that it becomes a deterrent in future.”