A tragic incident has come to light where Balachandra H, a driver from the 2nd unit of Belagavi, was found dead by suicide inside a bus. Reports suggest that he had been seeking leave for several days, particularly to attend the wedding of his sister’s daughter, but his requests were repeatedly denied by senior officials.
Colleagues claim that Balachandra had been under significant work pressure and was mentally distressed due to his leave being rejected. Despite multiple appeals to the depot manager, he was allegedly denied time off, leading to extreme frustration and despair. Unable to cope with the situation, he reportedly took his own life.
Citing previous cases, employees pointed out that similar incidents have occurred in various state transport corporations, with employees facing mental anguish due to alleged workplace harassment.
In March, a KSRTC driver in the Mysuru city division committed suicide by jumping into a lake after an accident, reportedly feeling abandoned by officials. Additionally, Keshava, a technical staff member from Belagavi’s 1st unit, had also died by suicide under distressing circumstances.
They have urged the Transport Minister to intervene and take strict action against officials who allegedly mistreat employees. Additionally, they are calling for compensation for the families of the deceased and reforms in leave policies to prevent further tragedies.