Hyderabad: The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) employee who set himself ablaze at the Narsampet depot in Warangal district after demands to resolve the agency staff’s grievances fell on deaf ears, died on Thursday, April 23, after battling for his life.
The driver, identified as 50-year-old Shankar Goud, attempted suicide by dousing himself in petrol and setting himself on fire. Surrounding RTC workers immediately rushed to his rescue and extinguished the flames engulfing the bus driver. However, Goud had sustained nearly 85 per cent burn injuries.
He was immediately shifted to MGM Hospital in Warangal, where his condition was declared critical. Doctors advised his transfer to DRDO Apollo Hospital at Kanchanbagh, but he succumbed to his injuries on the way, near Karmanghat, before reaching the hospital at around 1:30 am on Friday, April 24.
An autopsy was conducted at the Osmania General Hospital, after which Goud’s body was handed over to the family and shifted to Muthojipeta village in Nasampet mandal, the police said.
However, another RTC driver named Venkanna, who was participating in the protest at Nalgonda depot on Thursday, attempted to immolate himself too by dousing diesel and setting himself on fire. The police and fellow workers rescued him and immediately shifted him to the hospital. His condition is stable, and he sustained no injuries in the suicide attempt.
Meanwhile, the RTC Joint Action Committee (JAC) called for a bandh in Hanumakonda, Jangaon, Mahabubabad, Bhupalpalli and Mulugu districts after Goud’s death. The police have been heavily deployed to prevent any untoward incident.
Tension in Narsampet
Tension prevails in Narsampet on Friday following the death of Shankar Goud, as protesting RTC workers demanded that his body be brought to the local bus depot for final respects.
The driver’s body, which had been taken to Muthojipet village, became the focal point of emotional appeals from employees. Workers gathered in large numbers, staging a road protest and urging authorities to allow them to pay tribute at the Narsampet RTC depot.
RTC employees reportedly appealed to DCP Rajamahendra Naik, stating that Goud was their colleague and that they should be permitted to offer a respectful farewell at the workplace. “This is a matter of our emotions,” workers said during the protest.
The situation remained tense, with police deployed in large numbers across the area to prevent any untoward incidents. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation as discussions continue.
BRS leaders stopped en route to Narsampet
Police stopped former minister V Srinivas Goud and several BRS workers at Station Ghanpur while they were on their way to Narsampet to pay tributes to deceased RTC driver Shankar Goud, BRS said in a press release.
The leaders were travelling to offer condolences to the bereaved family after paying respects to Goud’s mortal remains. However, police intercepted them and shifted them to a nearby police station, the party said.
Stand with Shankar’s family: CM
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over Goud’s death. He assured that the government would stand by the driver’s family and extend all possible support.
“The government is holding discussions with RTC employees and is sincerely working to resolve their issues,” he said.
During the state Cabinet meeting he chaired at Dr BR Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat on Thursday, Revanth Reddy directed Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka to hold talks with the TGSRTC workers’ leaders on Friday, April 24.
Addressing the media between the Cabinet meeting, Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said that “we can bring anything back, but not life if taken away.” Recalling a similar chain of suicides that happened during the RTC strike in 2019, he said that it had started after one RTC worker Srinivas Reddy died by suicide.
“After his death, 36 workers took their lives. Srinivas Reddy was well settled and his two sons were in the army. He had no reason to take that extreme step. Because of his act, several others ended their lives abruptly,” he said, appealing to the RTC workers not to resort to any extreme measures.
BRS slams govt over Goud’s death
BRS leader T Harish Rao paid tributes to RTC driver Shankar Goud, calling his death a “self-sacrifice” that deeply moved workers.
He blamed the government led by chief minister A Revanth Reddy for negligence and failure to fulfil promises to RTC employees.
Harish Rao urged workers not to take extreme steps and to continue their fight in a united and lawful manner.
He demanded immediate resolution of workers’ issues and that Goud’s death be honoured as an “Appointed Day.”
Buses stay off roads on third day
The TGSRTC strike, which began on Wednesday, April 22, after talks with the government broke down, continued to severely disrupt bus services across Hyderabad and the rest of the state on its third day on Friday. A large number of buses remained parked at depots, leaving commuters stranded and struggling to arrange alternative transport.
With a fleet of over 9,000 buses serving nearly 55 lakh passengers daily, the disruption has had a widespread impact on public mobility, besides causing mounting revenue losses running into several crores for the corporation.
Union leaders alleged that the government and RTC management had adopted an insensitive and rigid approach, ignoring employee concerns. They dismissed official claims that most demands had been addressed, stating that key issues remained unresolved, including implementation of the 2021 pay revision with the proposed fitment, opposition to the operation of electric buses in Greater Hyderabad and objections to recent employee transfers.
