Hyderabad: A driver working for the 108 emergency ambulance service attempted suicide by consuming poison in the office of labour commissioner at RTC Crossroads on Thursday afternoon. M. Veera Swamy, 35, along with other drivers was at the office of the commissioner to discuss the issue of his suspension by GVK EMRI. The company had removed 20 drivers from service last year for causing accidents.

Mr Srinivas Reddy, an ambulance driver, said “Veera Swamy was upset as he had been removed from service. The company stated that the driver had caused an accident and that he could not be reinstated. Swamy had contested this in the labour commission, stating that it was a minor accident and he must be taken back to service.” The labour commissioner heard both sides but GVK EMRI human resource manager Venkat Ramana and head of operations Bhramanand Rao stated that according to company policy the company could not take back drivers involved in accidents.

In the heated argument that followed, company officials stated that the drivers can take the company to labour court to resolve the issue. Angry at this, Veera Swamy consumed poison in front of the labour commissioner. According to other drivers who were present at the meeting, Swamy was the carrying poison along with him and this was not known to the others who had come for the meeting.

Labour commission officials and ambulance drivers rushed him to Gandhi Hospital immediately where doctors said was in a critical condition. Doctors stated that the patient would be kept under observation for 24 hours.