Telangana: Another RTC employee attempts suicide, protests intensify in several districts

A day after a striking Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) staffer set himself ablaze, another employee allegedly attempted suicide in Warangal before he was stopped by the police.

The RTC worker, identified as Bathini Ravi allegedly poured kerosene on his body and tried to self-immolate himself at Narasampeta bus stand before he was stopped by the police and union workers.

Speaking to ANI over the phone, Warangal Commissioner of Police, V Ravinder said, "He poured kerosene tried to set himself ablaze. The police and other RTC employees that were present on the spot prevented him."

TSRTC Srinivas Reddy who attempted suicide during the strike succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.

Reddy was among the 48,000 TSRTC employees who are on the strike against the Telangana government since October 5. The protests are widespread across multiple districts in Telangana.

Employees are demanding the merger of the RTC with the government.

Amidst protests in Khammam, where D Satish Reddy attempted suicide, a female RTC employee, Noorjahan in Annapureddipalli village lost her cool and lashed at the state government.

"We are feeling sad about our situation. The (state) government is pushing us out though we are protesting peacefully. Why are they torturing us?" she said.

On the other hand, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district also witnessed intensified protests of the RTC workers. The agitating workers assembled near the RTC complex to pay tributes to the demised worker and observed a two-minute silence.

Later, they held a rally and raised slogans against Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.