HYDERABAD: The striking TSRTC employees broke down and their grief turned into anger on Sunday when two of their colleagues, a bus driver and a conductor committed suicide. The bus driver was D Srinivasa Reddy from Khammam while the conductor was Surender Goud from Hyderabad.
Srinivasa Reddy died in the afternoon while undergoing treatment at a corporate hospital in Hyderabad after he set himself on fire at his residence in Khammam on Saturday. Surender Goud ended his life by hanging at his house in the evening. Both of them reportedly committed suicide as they were unable to bear the prospect of losing their jobs.
According to sources, Surender Goud, who had put in 14 years of service in the TSRTC, found it difficult to support his family with the TSRTC management withholding his September pay as he was one among the striking workers of the corporation. As a result, the EMI request by the bank for the housing loan that he had raised bounced, which reportedly exerted stress on him. His family members rushed him to a private hospital when they saw him hanging from the ceiling, and he died while undergoing treatment.
In a related incident, yet another TSRTC employee attempted suicide in Warangal rural district but those with him saved him just in time.
Earlier in the day, when the news of Srinivasa Reddy’s death spread, tension built up at the corporate hospital where he died, with a number of TSRTC employees rushing there and raising angry slogans against the government, while others broke down on seeing his lifeless body. Anticipating trouble, forensic experts were called to the corporate hospital, where they conducted a post-mortem examination. Later, the body was sent to Khammam with full police security, for performing the last rites.
When his body reached Khammam, poignant scenes were witnessed, with a number of TSRTC employees and others gathering at his house. They were shocked by the sudden development and appeared shattered that the strike took such a turn.
A native of Ramachandrapuram village, Srinivasa Reddy had settled in Raparthanagar eight years ago. He is survived by two sons, the elder one Abhiram is working with the Indian Army at Jodhpur, while younger Karteek is with the Indian Airforce at Guwahati. The family got together on Saturday to celebrate the birthday of Srinivasa Reddy’s grandson.
“After the function, the father stepped out to participate in the strike. When he returned, he had kerosene with him and just outside the house, he set himself on fire,” recalled Abhiram.
The police, anticipating trouble, posted forces in strength at Khammam and at his residence as the vehicle carrying his body from Hyderabad arrived. As many as 35 persons, including RTC employees and family members of Srinivasa Reddy, were taken into custody after they staged a rasta roko at the crossroads in Kanchanbagh.
As the agitation was on the verge of turning violent, the police department issued orders to all SPs and police commissioners to invoke Section 2 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act against those resorting to vandalism or arson, causing damage to public property.
Meanwhile, public transportation remained paralysed in the state, with a majority of buses remaining off the road, despite claims to the contrary by the TSRTC management.
The stalemate appears likely to continue for a few days, with the TSRTC staff and the government sticking to their guns.