Mangaluru: The KSRTC bus conductor who had jumped off from a moving bus into Kumaradhara River following an altercation with a woman passenger could not be traced till Tuesday late evening. More than 30 fire personnel and local divers who were searching the river returned empty handed.

Meanwhile, the woman passenger who spoke to media said that she had boarded bus at Ambedkar Circle, Mangaluru and bought ticket to Alangar by paying Rs 500.

“As the ticket price was Rs 42, conductor sought Rs 2 from me. When I gave him Rs 2, he gave me Rs 60 back. I thought he may give remaining Rs 400 later. Before alighting from the bus, I sought my remaining change back, for which he claimed that I had given Rs 100 only. Later, he asked me to come to the police station to collect money. When we had been to the police station he claimed that he did not have any extra money with him apart from what he had collected from the passengers on that trip. However, there was an extra currency note of Rs 500 in his pocket, along with the collection amount of Rs 3,159. Later, police made him pay Rs 400. I am shocked after I heard the news that he had jumped into river unable to bear the humiliation. One should not blame me for his death as I had returned home when the incident took place,” she said.

Devadas Shetty (42), a conductor in the KSRTC bus plying from Mangaluru to Subrahmanya temple had an altercation with a woman passenger on Sunday, September 25. The issue was settled at Kadaba police station. Soon after, Shetty jumped off the bus into the river near a bridge. He left a death note on his trip sheet, which reads: “It is better to die than live, after being humiliated. Goodbye to all my colleagues.” A missing complaint was registered at Subrahmanya police station.