Overview
- On July 18 at the Pandalam KSRTC depot, a driver’s breathalyser reading jumped from zero to 10 after eating overripe jackfruit.
- Three additional KSRTC bus drivers recorded similar false positives during mandatory morning alcohol checks.
- In a follow-up experiment, officials had a staff member eat the same jackfruit and observed an identical positive reading.
- Pathologists say natural fermentation in overripe jackfruit releases trace ethanol and volatile compounds that can fool breathalysers.
- KSRTC is reviewing its breathalyser protocol and device reliability under its zero-tolerance alcohol policy.