A Naresh, a TSRTC driver committed suicide in Mahbubabad on Wednesday morning by consuming pesticide. This is the fifth suicide by an RTC worker since the launch of their strike on October 5.
In a letter purportedly written by him before his death, he blamed Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for his death and hoped he would be the last RTC worker to give up life in connection with the ongoing employees’ strike.
Family members, who realised that Naresh attempted suicide, shifted him to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead. RTC employees gathered near the hospital in large numbers and held a rally with Naresh’s body from the hospital to the Mahbubabad bus depot. Opposition leaders also joined the rally. The police set up barricades preventing the protesters from entering the bus depot. Angry employees damaged the barricades and raised slogans against the State government. A scuffle ensued between the police and the workers, resulting in the arrest of several people.
Later, the workers sat in front of the bus depot and demanded the State government to do justice to Naresh’s family. They refused to shift the body until the State announced ex-gratia to the kin of the deceased.
District joint collector David and Superintendent of Police N Koti Reddy spoke to the workers and announced that the State would provide an ex-gratia of ₹ 7 lakh, a double bed room house, a government job and all the benefits received by family of RTC worker Srinivas Reddy who committed suicide in Khammam. They also assured medical care to Naresh’s wife who is ailing.
(There is always someone to listen at: +914066202000 or 6666 1117 in case of any emotional breakdowns at this Hyderabad-based suicide intervention centre, Roshni.)
