Telangana Transport Body Strike Escalates After Driver Dies By Suicide

Tension is escalating across Telangana as the ongoing Road Transport Corporation (RTC) workers' strike takes a serious turn after a driver died due to self-immolation. Multiple other suicide attempts have also been reported and turned it into a political flashpoint.

Chief Minister Revanty Reddy and his ministers express shock over the death of the RTC driver. The Chief Minister also assured that he will stand by the driver's family and will provide all possible support on behalf of the government. He reminded that the government will hold talks with the RTC workers and make sincere efforts to resolve their problems.

Hyderabad police stopped K Kavitha from entering the hospital where she wanted to meet the RTC employee undergoing treatment. 

Kavita, who heads Telangana Jagruthi, questioned police on why she was being denied entry. "Why am I not allowed inside? I need an answer" and staged a protest outside the hospital, raising slogans.

Police deployed tight security, and the situation remained tense as the body of the driver, Shankar Goud, was sent to his hometown.

In another incident at the Nalgonda bus stand, another RTC driver, Ravula Venkanna, allegedly attempted suicide during protests. Police and fellow workers acted quickly and stopped him, preventing a major tragedy. He later fell ill and was shifted to the hospital. A large number of workers gathered at the depot, raising slogans and warning of intensified protests.

In the Khammam district, a driver identified as Linga Reddy from the Bhadrachalam depot allegedly consumed pesticide at his residence in protest.

The ongoing strike by Telangana RTC workers began from midnight on April 22 after talks between unions and the government failed. Over 38,000 employees joined the indefinite strike, bringing bus services across the state to a halt.

RTC unions have placed 32 major demands before the government, including key demands such as the merger of RTC with the state government, salary hike and pay revision, clearance of pending dues like PF and benefits, job security and regularisation of contract staff, filling vacant posts, better working conditions and welfare measures, among others.

The government, however, said that it is open to discussions and has already shown a positive approach towards most demands, but key issues like merging RTC with the government are still under review.

The Revanth Reddy government has formed a high-level committee of senior officials to study the demands and submit a report within a few weeks. The government says issues will be resolved in a phased manner after detailed examination.

State Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar has appealed to employees to call off the strike and return to duty, assuring that their concerns will be addressed.