RTC strike: Driver succumbs to burns; another attempts suicide

Hyderabad: K Shankar Goud, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) driver from Narsampet in Warangal district who resorted to self-immolation on Thursday, succumbed to burns at a private hospital in Hyderabad early Friday. As the RTC workers' strike entered its third day amid ongoing talks with state govt, another driver attempted suicide at Bhupalpally depot, in Jayashakar Bhupalpally district.Varikolu Ravinder allegedly consumed pesticide after taking part in the protest on Thursday night. He was rushed to MGM Hospital in Warangal. "He is stable, but we will keep him under observation for 48 hours," said hospital superintendent Dr P Harish Chandra Reddy. Ravinder has been employed with RTC for about 10 years.Meanwhile, the condition of G Linga Reddy from Bhadrachalam depot in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, who consumed paraquat on Day 2 of the strike, remained critical on Friday. Family members said the driver will be shifted from a private hospital in Khammam to Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad for better care. "He has shown no improvement since Thursday. Doctors said the poison has spread to different parts of his body. We were hoping for improvement after dialysis, but he remains critical," said Linga Reddy's daughter, Swapna Reddy. Swapna said the incident occurred around 5 pm on Thursday, after he returned home from the depot after taking part in the protest. "He did not even enter the house. He sat in an empty plot next to our home and consumed paraquat," she said.Another driver, Venkanna from Miryalaguda in Nalgonda, who attempted to set himself ablaze on Thursday, is safe after colleagues and police intervened before he could light a matchstick.Speaking to TOI after Shankar Goud's death, his son-in-law B Suman said his father-in-law was already critical when he was being moved from MGM Hospital to Hyderabad. "Doctors said his pulse was weak and put him on a ventilator. He passed away around 2.30 am." His body was shifted to Narsampet for final rites.CM A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over Goud's death. The state govt announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the family. Goud's death triggered tension not only at his home depot but also at major RTC hubs across Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana, with protesting drivers lashing out at govt for failing to meet their demands. "Workers took such extreme steps because they are worried about their jobs. Instead of resolving our issues, the govt issued notifications to recruit temporary staff to keep services running during the strike," said a union leader.
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