Both sons of deceased bus driver serving in armed forces, kin refuse compensation

HYDERABAD: TSRTC driver D Srinivas Reddy of Khammam depot who died after setting himself ablaze during the on-going RTC strike was someone who was never concerned about money.
“Money was never an issue for him. He had a big heart and would never allow other drivers or conductors to pay the bill if they had tea or tiffin together,” said B Srinivas Reddy, the deceased’s brother-in-law.“He was a royal man in his behaviour,” he added.
“Politicians of various parties, organisations, leaders and well-wishers ask us what our demand is from the government. How can we demand any compensation when he died for a cause? For him the cause mattered more than his life. If the government should do anything, it should accept the demands of RTC employees,” B Srinivas Reddy said.
TSRTC Transport Mazdoor Union state secretary Nama Veerabhadram said that D Srinivas Reddy had left a suicide note which came to his notice. It was also reportedly brought to the attention of the police. In the note, Reddy had said the government alone was responsible for his suicide. In the note, which is a small slip, he said RTC should be merged with government and RTC employees should be given their PF/CCS money. He signed his name as DS Reddy with his identity number as 326225 as driver of Khammam depot.
The deceased driver’s brother-in-law B Srinivas Reddy, also an RTC driver in the same depot confirmed that the writing was that of D Srinivas Reddy. “We are not sure who found it and where but I have also got the suicide note which is circulating among employees,” he said.
B Srinivas Reddy’s sister Savithri was married to the deceased driver D Srinivas Reddy. “She is in complete grief. She cries saying she has become a loner,” he said. The relationship between both D Srinivas Reddy and B Srinivas Reddy further got strengthened as B Srinivas Reddy’s daughter is married to D Srinivas Reddy’s elder son Sai Abhiram.
Sai Abhiram serves in the Indian Air Force (IAF) and is posted in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur. D Srinivas Reddy’s younger son Sai Karthik Reddy is in the Indian Army posted in Assam. Both sons had come home for a family function. A family-together was reportedly organised on October 11 to celebrate the birth of the elder son’s child. However, the next day on October 12, D Srinivas Reddy, who was said to be pained the announcement by the government that there would be no talks with unions, chose to end his life.