Telangana opposition calls home guard's self-immolation murder by government

Hyderabad, Sep 8 (IANS) The opposition parties in Telangana on Friday termed the death of a home guard, who self-immolated citing not receiving salary on time and harassment by seniors, as a murder by the BRS government.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President A. Revanth Reddy alleged that Ravinder’s suicide was a murder by the state government.

He along with other Congress leaders met DGP Anjani Kumar on Friday and demanded that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao be booked for murder.

Revanth Reddy also demanded Rs 25 lakh compensation for the deceased home guard’s family and a government job for a family member. He said the government should also bear the expenses for the education of Ravinder’s children.

Later, Revanth Reddy called on Ravinder’s family members. He said the government’s negligence was responsible for the death of the home guard, claiming that nobody from the government even consoled the family while no action was taken against the officials responsible for his self-immolation.

The Congress leader also asked all the home guards to teach a lesson to the government for its negligence.

Union minister and state BJP President G. Kishan Reddy also called Ravinder’s self-immolation a murder by the state government.

He alleged that the BRS government is not giving minimum respect to the home guards and is harassing them. He also appealed to home guards not to take any hasty step but fight to get their problems solved.

Kishan Reddy had visited the DRDO Apollo Hospital on Thursday and met Ravinder's family members. He alleged that the BRS government failed to fulfil the promises made to the home guards.

He recalled that Chief Minister KCR had promised to improve the working conditions of home guards and to treat them on par with the state government employees, but nothing was done.

YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) leader Y.S. Sharmila also held the KCR government responsible for the home guard’s death, as she demanded Rs 50 lakh compensation for the deceased's  family.

Ravinder (36), who had attempted self-immolation in Hyderabad four days ago, succumbed to his injuries on Friday.

He had set himself ablaze after pouring petrol on Tuesday at the Commandant Home Guard’s office near the Goshamahal police stadium.

Ravinder, who sustained 60 per cent burns, was rushed to the Osmania General Hospital. When his condition deteriorated, he was shifted to the DRDO Apollo Hospital. He was put on a ventilator but the efforts of the doctors to save him proved futile as he breathed his last on Friday morning.

Ravinder’s wife Sandhya sat on a protest at the Osmania Hospital, demanding justice. She called off her protest in the evening after a senior police officer assured her that a job will be provided to a family member.

Meanwhile, the police have booked a case against ASI Narsing Rao and constable Chandu for allegedly harassing Ravinder.

Sandhya had demanded stringent action against the ASI and the constable, alleging that they unlocked Ravinder’s phone and deleted data from it.

Sandhya also said that her husband discharged his duties honestly for 17 years, but he was forced to end his life by his seniors.