Narsampet colleagues up in arms over tribute snub

Hyderabad: Tension gripped the Narsampet bus depot in Warangal district on Friday after police and officials refused to allow the body of RTC driver K Shankar Goud into the premises, triggering protests by colleagues and union leaders.Shankar, who served the corporation for over two decades, died earlier this week. Fellow workers sought to keep his body briefly at the depot, which they described as his second home, so staff could pay their respects. However, the request was denied over law and order concerns."Till the last minute, we appealed to the police to allow his mortal remains into the depot. But they refused, and the final procession began around 6 pm," said Soma Madhav, working president of the Telangana Jathiya Mazdoor Union (TJMU), Narsampet unit. "It's unfortunate that a driver who served for years was not given even basic respect in death. Even a two-minute halt at the depot would have given him peace."Union leaders alleged that the police response was excessive despite the protest remaining peaceful. They also claimed the freezer box carrying the body was mishandled. "There was no violence from workers, yet the police acted with undue caution," Madhav added.After being brought from Hyderabad, Shankar's body was first taken to his rented house, but the owner reportedly refused entry into the premises. Workers then sought to shift it to the depot, but police denied permission. The body was eventually taken to his daughter's residence — about 4 km away from the depot — where friends, colleagues, and political leaders paid their tributes."From his daughter's house, we again requested that the body be taken to the depot briefly. Even that was not allowed," said union member Venu Gollanakonda.Protests spread across the state, with JAC leaders staging silent demonstrations and a bandh observed in parts of the erstwhile Warangal district. At several depots, including Bhadrachalam, police removed protest tents, forcing workers to continue their agitation in the heat. In Tandur, workers alleged that even food distribution by an NGO was briefly stopped.Narsampet circle inspector M Srinivas said the decision was taken to prevent any potential law and order issues. "There was mild tension, but it was brought under control," he said.Several political leaders across parties, including BJP senior leaders Bandi Sanjay and Rana Partap Reddy and BRS former ministers Sabitha Indra Reddy and Satyavathi Rathod paid their respects, while some were taken into preventive custody ahead of the procession.
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