HYDERABAD: Tragedy befell the TSRTC JAC public meeting at Saroornagar here on Wednesday, when yet another RTC driver suffered a heart attack and died en route to hospital. N Babu, 45, served at the Karimnagar depot and had come all the way to the city to attend the public meeting Sakala Janula Samarabheri.
In a cruel twist of fate, as the public meeting observed a minute of silence for the 14 RTC staffers who died in the last 26 days of strike, the 15th victim was breathing his last. Just as the meeting was getting over, Babu had a cardiac arrest while heading out with his colleagues. He was rushed to a private hospital nearby, but was declared brought dead.
“What we learnt from the Karimnagar depot members was that minister Gangula Kamalakar had been meeting them regularly and pressurising them to resume duties. He even offered them money and good posts, and was building tremendous pressure on them. This is absolutely heartbreaking for us RTC staff,” said Thomas Reddy, TSRTC JAC leader. Babu had served for 20 years in the RTC.