By Fatma Younis
Indian bus conductor Gundla Pravalika, 24, died on Wednesday after being allegedly pushed from a moving bus during a fare dispute in Telangana state, police said.
Incident details
The conductor, employed by the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation, was rushed to hospital on 25 October with grievous injuries after falling under the rear wheels near Mittagudem village. She succumbed after 10 days of treatment.
Fare dispute leads to altercation
A female passenger, identified by local media as Mounika, boarded the bus with her minor son around 9 a.m. and handed Pravalika a 100-rupee note for a 10-rupee ticket. The conductor, who lacked smaller change, asked the passenger to collect the balance later, sparking a heated argument. The passenger allegedly pushed Pravalika from the moving vehicle, though she claimed the conductor accidentally fell from the footboard.
Arrest and government response
Police have arrested the suspect. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed grief and announced a compensation of 1 million rupees (£7,859), a government job for the victim's mother, and a house for the family.
Transport workers strike
Employees of the state road transportation department held a strike on Wednesday in protest over Pravalika's death.
