RTC strike on day 16: Another driver dies of heart attack

Hyderabad: Striking TSRTC workers continued their protests on the 16th day on Sunday. While, one driver died of heart attack in old Khammam district, the RTC workers in a novel protest distributed rose flowers to people on busy roads in Hyderabad and parts of the districts.

According to reports, 55-year-old driver Sheikh Khaja Miyan, working in the Sathupally bus depot, died of a heart attack at his residence. He was reportedly worried about his future (joblessness) owing to the continued strike.

This was the third incident of a striking RTC employee meeting death since the RTC employees launched struggle on October 5. On October 13, RTC driver Srinivas Reddy immolated himself in Khammam and conductor Surendar Goud hanged himself to death.

The family members of the deceased driver Khaja Miyan alleged that he died due to agony and stress caused by the government's adamant attitude in not resolving the issue.

At Vidya Nagar in Hyderabad, RTC workers offered rose flowers to the commuters on the busy road and requested them to support their struggle. In the districts also, similar kind of protests were held by the workers.

Expressing solidarity with the workers, the left parties and its affiliated trade unions staged dharnas and demanded that the government call for a dialogue with the RTC JAC immediately.