The agitation by the striking RTC employees turned violent with scores of them clashing with the police at the Hanamkonda bus-stand here on Friday. Hundreds of striking workers came in a procession with the effigy of RTC Managing Director Nanduri Sambasiva Rao.
Even as the police tried to prevent them from entering the bus stand, they remained unrelenting. The police snatched away the effigy and pushed them away. The employees both men and women were pushed to ground resulting in minor bruises to some.
The procession was led by TDP MLA Errabelli Dayakar Rao which added to the tension as he picked up duel with the police. He said Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao had promised to look into the issue of RTC employees, but was now evading his responsibility.
“The RTC employees stood in the forefront of separate Telangana agitation and the Chief Minister had promised to enhance their salaries on par with the other government employees. The State Government should immediately sort out the issue,” he demanded.
Meanwhile, the management which operated 154 buses on Thursday could only operate 20 buses on the third day so far as tension prevailed at the bus stand and striking employees preventing the bus movement.
