Dalit sanitation women workers protest against DRDO Bengaluru over ‘unlawful termination’
demand reinstating them
Bengaluru: Around 61 women safai karamcharis (Sanitation workers) staged a demonstration in front of the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) building, a unit of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Bengaluru on Monday, protesting against their sudden termination. The workers were abruptly terminated in March 2024 stating that their services were no longer needed, as reported by TheNewsMinute.com.
The All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), which has been advocating on behalf of the workers, claims that the women were targeted for raising concerns about extortion and mistreatment by their contractor. According to the AICCTU, since 2019, the contractor had been illegally demanding a monthly cut of ₹3,000 to ₹4,200 from the workers' wages, claiming the funds were to be shared between the contracting agency and CABS supervisors.
Despite complaints to CABS officials, no action was allegedly taken to stop the alleged extortion. The situation came to a head in October 2023 when the workers lodged a complaint with the Regional Labour Commissioner (Central), who intervened and stopped the illegal collections. However, on March 23, 2024, when the workers returned to their jobs, they were informed that their services were no longer required due to the arrival of a new contractor, Indian Security Agency.
Following the incident, The AICCTU filed a complaint with the Karnataka State Commission for Safai Karamcharis (KSCSK), which ruled in favor of the workers and ordered their reinstatement on May 9, 2024. Despite this directive and further orders from the state’s social welfare department and the Minister for Social Welfare, CABS has refused to comply, preventing the women from resuming their duties.
Meanwhile, the protesting women are now demanding immediate reinstatement of their duties and state that their termination was made in act of retaliation for challenging the extortion practices.
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Cyberabad police arrest 193 drunk drivers in ongoing crackdown
Hyderabad: As part of a continued crackdown on drunk driving, Cyberabad police arrested 193 individuals on Saturday, November 23. Authorities seized a total of 160 two-wheelers, 6 three-wheelers, and 27 four-wheelers during the operation. Among those detained, 19 had dangerously high blood alcohol levels, ranging from 200 mg/100 ml to 550 mg/100 ml.
All offenders will face the court for legal proceedings. Under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, drunk driving is a serious offense, with penalties including fines of up to Rs. 10,000 and/or imprisonment for up to six months. Repeat violations can lead to driving license suspensions for at least three months or, in severe cases, permanent revocation.
Between August 24 and November 21, Hyderabad police booked 13,933 individuals for drunk driving, leading to various consequences such as fines, imprisonment, and license suspensions. During this period, 824 offenders received jail sentences ranging from one to ten days.
Additionally, 227 drivers were required to complete two days of social service, and the Regional Transport Office (RTO) suspended 99 licenses for two to six months based on court directives. The courts also imposed a collective fine of Rs. 2.87 crore on violators.
