One more TSRTC driver commits suicide

A 52-year-old driver with the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself near here on Thursday, police said.

The driver's body was found hanging from a tree in a field, a police official said.

TSRTC employees alleged that the driver ended his life because of what they called as a rigid stand of the state government on the recent bus strike. However, police said they were verifying the exact reason for the suicide. So far, five RTC employees have ended their lives and some others attempted suicide in different parts of Telangana after the strike began.

Over 48,000 employees of TSRTC, who were on a strike across Telangana demanding merger of RTC with the government, among other demands, called off their 52-day-long strike on November 25 and expressed readiness to rejoin duty.

But, the TSRTC management had said they could not allow them to rejoin duty as the matter was pending before the labour commissioner as per the directive of the High Court.

Consequently, employees, who turned up for work on Tuesday and also on Wednesday, were turned away by the officials and the police.