RTC driver, who set himself ablaze, dies

metro india news  I hyderabad

Shankar Goud, a 50-year-old driver, allegedly set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday. The Telangana State Regional Transport Corporation (RTC) employees were staging a protest in support of their demands on Thursday. They have embarked on an indefinite strike over a series of demands since April 22.

Goud, who suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment. "He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 AM on Friday," a senior official said.

The body of the driver was taken to his relative's village Muttojipet in Warangal district for conducting funeral.The RTC employees demanded that the body be taken to Narsampet where the driver worked to pay homage. However, police did not agree to the request, they claimed.

Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar also slammed the Congress government for not allowing Goud's body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station where he worked.Kumar, MoS (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district where the funeral would take place and paid homage to Goud.

Though the family members and RTC employees tried to take the body to the Narsampet bus station to enable his colleagues to pay last respects, police did not allow it citing law and order concerns. This led to a deadlock before conducting Goud's funeral.

"They (family members) want to take the body to the (Narsmapet) bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are sentimental about taking the body to the bus depot. The government is hurting sentiments also. 

The government is trying to intimidate RTC employees by creating a fearful atmosphere and law and order problem," Kumar told reporters. The leaders of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of RTC employees are scheduled to hold talks with the committee of bureaucrats appointed by the government on Friday. On Thursday, another RTC employee also allegedly attempted suicide in Nalgonda but did not suffer any injuries, Roads and Buildings Minister Venkat Reddy said.

Bandi Sanjay led protest at funeral

When authorities refused to allow the deceased’s body to be taken to the Narsampet RTC depot, where he had served for over 22 years, Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar along with the driver’s family members and RTC workers requested that the body be taken to the depot to enable colleagues to pay their last respects.

CM condoles RTC driver’s death; Assures full support to bereaved family

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed deep shock over the tragic suicide of RTC driver Shankar Goud. In a statement on Friday, the Chief Minister assured Shankar Goud's family that he will stand by them and  the government will also extend every possible support.

KTR demands Rs 1 crore for family

BRS working president KT Rama Rao described the death of RTC driver Shankar Goud in Narsampet as a murder by the State government. He asserted that the event was not a case of suicide, but rather a consequence of the Congress government's ongoing betrayal of RTC workers over the last two and a half years.

The BRS working president called for justice for Goud's grieving family and requested that the government provide them with a compensation of Rs 1 crore and a government job.