TSRTCemployees' unionsstir continues

The indefinite strike by TSRTC employees' unions pressing a charter of demands including merger of the corporation with the transport department entered the 41st day on Thursday with workers holding protests in different parts of Telangana.

Employees including, drivers and conductors of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) with support from members of different political parties held protests near bus depots and raised slogans against the Chandrasekhar Rao-led government.

They demanded that the government should immediately fulfill their demands by holding talks with them.

Nearly 48,000 employees had begun the strike from October 5 across the state demanding merger of RTC with the government, pay revision, among others.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had earlier said under no circumstances would the RTC be merged with the government and said the employees' stir is illegal as they caused immense inconvenience to the public.

The state government has made alternate arrangements and engaged the services of temporary drivers and conductors to operate buses.

Meanwhile, an RTC conductorNageshwar Rao died due to some illnessin Jogipet of Sangareddy district, police said.

His relatives alleged Rao, who was on strike was 'distressed' over the ongoing agitation.

Rao was shifted to a hospital in Hyderabad and later to his house, where he died on Thursday morning.

A section of striking employees insisted on taking his body to Narayankhed bus depot where he was working, but police pacified them and district officials also assured to look into their demands of providing ex-gratia and others.

Already, five RTC employees allegedly committed suicide while some others attempted to take their lives in different parts of Telangana since the strike began.

A few died due to health issues during the ongoing stir.