Hyderabad: 100 RTC employees ready to join duty detained

Police on Tuesday detained 100 Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) employees ready to report for duty, a day after the TSRTC-Joint Action Committee (JAC) issued an order to call off the nearly two-month strike and asked the workers to join back services.

The detained RTC workers were taken to Osmania University Police Station.

The Telangana High Court on November 23 refused to adjudicate on the issue of strike by around 48,000 TSRTC employees. It decided to refer the matter to the Labour Department for a settlement.

The state government has said it will not accept the agitating employees back for work.

Police have made security arrangements at Kukatpally depot. A two-tier police system is in place at the Secunderabad Jubilee Bus Station.

The RTC employees have made it clear that they will report for duty and have officially called off their strike.

Heavy police deployment has been made at bus depots and at Bus Bhawan. Police said they are ready to detain more workers if they agitate. Police forces also blocked RTC employees at the Kacheguda Railway Station.

A state cabinet meeting will be held at Pragati Bhavan here on November 28 (Thursday). There is a possibility that it could be extended by a day. The RTC issue is expected to be taken up among other issues during the meeting.

The RTC employees on Monday called off their 52-day strike, during which at least five workers employed with the state-run organisation committed suicide. The employees had been protesting since October 5 over several demands, including revision of pay.