All India strike today, banks and public transport hit; 1 killed in Ambala

The two-day All India strike that started today have severely impacted banking services and public transport services across the nation. The strike, called by 11 trade unions has already claimed one life after a trade union leader, who was squatting along with a group of workers near a bus depot in Ambala, died when he was hit by a bus in his bid to stop it from plying.

Public transport hit in Delhi, financial services paralysed in Mumbai

In Haryana, bus driver Narender Singh, who was also the treasurer of AITUC, was killed when he tried to stop a bus which was being taken out from the Ambala Depot despite the strike, district president, Haryana Roadways Workers Union's, Inder Singh Bhadana said.

After the incident, other assembled workers resorted to violence damaging vehicles belonging to the Ambala's Deputy Commissioner of Police and SHO of the Baldev police station area, police said.

Earlier, AITUC General Secretary Gurudas Dasgupta said that the victim was allegedly stabbed to death by some persons who wanted to take out buses from the depot despite the strike.

Trade unionists said 10 crore workers will be taking part in the strike. Industry body Assocham estimates that the loss to the economy will be 15-20 thousand crore rupees.

Commuters in the national capital faced hardships as a section of auto-rickshaws and taxis remained off the road in support of the strike.

Although Metro services were not affected by the strike, bus services were partially hit by the strike as a number of bus unions, including a section of Delhi Transport Corporation employees, have also extended support to the strike.

Eleven central unions have called the strike to demand urgent steps to control price rise, strict enforcement of labour laws in all places of work, social security net for workers in the unorganised sector, end to disinvestment in PSUs and raising minimum wage to Rs 10,000.

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