RTC conductor K Neeraja, working in Sathupally depot in Khammam district, allegedly killed herself at her residence in Kaviraja Nagar, Khammam on Monday. Neeraja was said to be depressed about losing her job – she was one of the 48,000 employees who were fired for participating in the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation strike, that has been on since October 5.
Neeraja was working as a conductor for the past four years. Police were informed about the incident around 12 noon on Monday. Last week, Neeraja took her two children to celebrate Deepavali at her mother’s place in Pallegudem, while her husband went to his mother’s place. However, Neeraja returned home to Khammam on Sunday evening, leaving her kids with her mother.
“I had called her asking why she returned home alone and she said that she had to participate in the dharna. And since this morning I have been calling her and I couldn’t reach her and my suspicion grew,” Neeraja’s husband told media. He claimed that he did not find any suicide note. Meanwhile, police have filed a case under 174 CrPC (suspicious death).
Speaking to TNM, Khammam Commissioner Tafseer Iqbal said, “The reason of death is yet to be established. A post mortem will be conducted and then we will begin our inquest.” He added, “We did not find any suicide note in the house.”
Neeraja’s death has triggered protests in Sathupally. Her colleagues staged a dharna at Sathupally depot and at her residence with slogans against Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. A police force has been deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incident.
So far, at least four employees belonging to the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) have killed themselves, allegedly owing to depression caused by their job loss and non-payment of their salaries for the month of September.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had sacked 48,000 odd TSRTC employees after the employees went on an indefinite strike since October 5, demanding the merger of public transport with the government along with 25 other demands. However, the CM has outrightly rejected the demand, and further invoked fear that the shutting down of TSRTC is inevitable and none can save it.