RTO staff protest attack on JTC; call for State-wide pen-down strike

Hyderabad: The Transport department staff condemned the attack on Hyderabad Joint Transport Commissioner Ramesh, and called a State-wide pen down protest on Friday, by wearing black badges at the RTO offices.

Several staffers held protests in solidarity with Ramesh, who was attacked on Thursday by an auto-rickshaw union leader. The incident sparked outrage in the department; the employees and union leaders demanded immediate arrest of the accused.

The staff protested by wearing black badges and observing pen down strike. Following the protest, several applicants, who came for their transport-related work to RTA offices, suffered and were forced to go back.

Work at RTO South Zone was halted after RTO Sadananda, assistant officer Hari Prasad, and MVI S Praveen Kumar Reddy gathered at the office following the attack on Ramesh by Amanullah Khan, auto-rickshaw union leader.

On Thursday Khan lost his cool and assaulted Ramesh while discussing fare metres of autos. He allegedly slapped the officer when the two were in the cabin. Based on the JTO complaint, the police booked a case against Khan and arrested him. He was produced in court and remanded in custody at the prison. The staff gathered at the office and raised slogans demanding justice and ensuring safety of all colleagues. Violence against a senior officer is unacceptable and must be met with swift justice, the protestors said.They demanded strict punishment for Khan.