HYDERABAD: With the midnight deadline set by the Telangana government for striking TSRTC employees to rejoin duty just hours away, a depot manager in Nirmal on his way to work was allegedly attacked by some people, suffering minor injuries, police said here on Tuesday.
Janardhan, the Depot manager at Bhainsa in the town was attacked while proceeding to work, they said, adding he was taken to a hospital and treated for his injuries.
CCTV footage was being examined, the culprits caught soon and the reasons behind the attack ascertained, police said.
They assured that the safety and security of those willing to rejoin duty would be taken care of.
All depots have been provided with sufficient security, police said and warned of stern action against anyone trying to take the law into their own hands.
Meanwhile, the month-long indefinite strike by Telangana State Road Transport Corporation employees' unions over various demands, including merger of RTC with the government continued on Tuesday, the last day for submission of letters by the workers to re-join duty.
The government had on Monday toughened its stance against the striking employees and decided not to allow any of them to work after the expiry of the November 5 deadline.
They warned that if the employees continued their stir, it would go ahead with the plan to permit private bus operators to run services in 5,000 of the total of 10,400 routes, leading to a situation where the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) virtually ceased to exist.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had on Saturday said the cabinet decided to allot 5,100 of 10,400 routes to private operators and warned that the other routes would also be given to them if those on strike don't join duty by the midnight of November 5.
However, the unions have been urging the government to hold talks with them to end the strike, which entered the 32nd day on Tuesday with workers holding protests at various places in the state.
They reiterated that they would continue the stir if their demands are not met.
TSRTC Managing Director Sunil Sharma said in a statement that those employees wishing to join duty can submit joining letters to various offices, including that of the District Collector, Superintendent of Police, Revenue Divisional Officer and Depot Managers.
Nearly 48,000 employees had begun an indefinite strike from October 5 across Telangana on a call by the Joint Action Council of TSRTC employees' unions, demanding merger of RTC with the government, pay revision, recruitment to various posts, among others, resulting in buses staying off roads.
Rao had earlier said that under no circumstances would the RTC be merged with the government and termed the stir as illegal as they caused immense inconvenience to public.
The RTC management said alternate arrangements had been made and the services of temporary drivers and conductors engaged to operate buses to ensure passengers do not face problems.