Transport workers protest across Khammam after injured bus conductor passes away

UPDATE - follow-up to Telangana bus conductor Pravalika, who was pushed off moving bus, dies; she took up RTC job after father's death: Transport employees staged protests across the Khammam region on Wednesday following the death of twenty-four-year-old TGSRTC conductor G. Pravalika. She passed away on Tuesday night after fighting for her life for nearly ten days.

Job and Incident

Pravalika worked out of the Manuguru depot and secured employment to support her family after her father passed away roughly ten months prior. The incident occurred on October 25 near Mittagudem in Aswapuram mandal during a dispute concerning ticket payment for a passenger's son. A woman passenger named Mounika allegedly pushed her from the moving vehicle. The fall caused Pravalika's legs to go under the back wheels, leading to severe injuries.

Protests and Demands

Drivers and conductors stopped working and held demonstrations while wearing black badges under the guidance of the TGSRTC Khammam Region JAC. These protests disrupted bus operations across seven depots in the former undivided Khammam district until Wednesday afternoon. Workers gathered at the Khammam bus depot to pay their respects and demanded strict legal penalties for the accused along with better safety guarantees for frontline transit staff.

Legal Action

Police previously arrested Mounika from Mittagudem and filed charges for attempted murder. Authorities updated these charges after Pravalika's death.

Context

Public transit workers face daily frontline challenges while handling cash transactions and passenger disputes during travel. Incidents of workplace violence against transport employees often lead to swift union actions and demands for enhanced on-duty protection.