K'taka RTC employee ends life in Belagavi district (Ld)

Belagavi, April 10 (IANS) As the Karnataka State Transport Employees League's indefinite strike entered third day on Friday, an employee working with the North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) had allegedly committed suicide by hanging at his house near here, police said.The incident took place at Saundatti taluk of Belagavi district, which is also the home district of Deputy Chief Minister Lakshman Savadi, who also holds the transport portfolio.The deceased identified as Shivakumar Neelgar, 40, was working as driver-cum-conductor attached with the Saundatti depot.Sources close to the deceased family told media that he was serving as a driver-cum-conductor in NWKRTC for about 12 years.Meanwhile, Lakshmi, widow of Neelgar, accused the police of pressurising her to file a case stating that her husband was debt-ridden.She told media that her husband committed suicide by hanging only after realising that he would not be included in sixth pay commission. Lakshmi also alleged that the NWKRTC had not issued him any notice but rather directed him to report to his duty in a short notice. "My husband committed suicide only because he realised that he would not be brought under sixth pay commission. He desperately wanted his salary to be brought under this commission," she said.However, Deputy Chief Minister Lakshman Savadi said that the deceased was suffering from depression due to his high debts. Earlier, Neelagar, a 40-year-old driver cum conductor attached to Saundatti depot of NWKRTC committed suicide by hanging at his residence on Thursday late night.


--IANS nbh/sdr/