MAHBUBNAGAR/ ADILABAD/SANGAREDDY: The ongoing RTC strike turned violent here on Wednesday when the striking employees assaulted their colleagues who decided to return to duty following the call given by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. The striking employees, who started gathering at Mahbubnagar bus stand in large numbers since morning, assaulted the temporary workers as well as their colleagues who preferred to return to work. They garlanded the flexis with photos of those who “surrendered” to the State government with footwear and then burned them.
When police personnel came to their rescue and took them into the bus stand, the angry striking employees changed their tactic and laid on the ground, preventing the bus services from resuming. Some workers even deflated the bus tyres. The police then used force to disperse the workers while taking some into custody.
Later, the striking workers staged a rally from the bus stand to Dr BR Ambedkar Cross Roads, where they formed a human chain. The RTC JAC leaders demanded the State government to shed its stubbornness and instead initiate talks with the workers. They made it clear that they would not be intimidated by the tactics of the State government.
Garlanded with slippers
Meanwhile, the RTC employees strike continued in the erstwhile Adilabad district. In Nirmal district headquarters, the workers organised a rally during which they garlanded the photos of 12 RTC workers who resumed duty with slippers and bangles while raising slogans against the ‘betrayers’.
Rasta roko
Meanwhile, the RTC workers in Sangareddy, not heeding to the warning of the government, also continued with their protests. The striking workers staged a ‘rasta roko’, resulting in heavy traffic jam. The police had to intervene to disperse the agitating workers and solve the traffic problem. The employees also continued their protests programmes in Medak, Siddipet, Zahirabad, Narayankhed, Gajwel and other areas in the erstwhile Medak district.