RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM : A 61-year-old Panchayat Raj Assistant Engineer (AE) Nookaraju, his wife and their daughter are feared to have drowned after they allegedly jumped into the Godavari River from the Road-cum-Rail Bridge in Rajamahendravaram in the early hours of Monday. Their grandson, Riyansh Karthikeya, survived after being rescued by fishermen and was shifted to a hospital for treatment.
Nookaraju of Pithapuram, his wife Meena (59) and daughter Sowjanya (34) travelled from Kakinada to Rajamahendravaram on Monday. They reportedly asked their driver to get down near the Kovvur bridge before proceeding to Road-cum-Rail Bridge, where they allegedly jumped into the Godavari.
Police are examining how their grandson entered the river before fishermen rescued him. Before this, Nookaraju reportedly posted a purported suicide note in groups of friends and officials, accusing Kakinada rifle-shooting organiser Sheikh Sadiq Khan of harassing his daughter after her husband’s death in July & threatening her and her son.
Sources said Nookaraju referred to financial issues and alleged harassment. Police are examining financial transactions, threats and harassment. City Two Town Police registered a case, while NDRF and SDRF teams continued the search. Nookaraju’s body was traced around 8 pm; searches continue for the other two.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan expressed concern and directed the district administration to intensify search and rescue operations to trace the missing family members. He instructed officials to deploy NDRF and SDRF teams wherever necessary. He also spoke over the phone with the Superintendents of Police of East Godavari and Kakinada districts and enquired about the circumstances that allegedly led the family to take the extreme step. He directed officials to conduct a comprehensive investigation and bring out the facts.
Pawan Kalyan appealed to people not to take extreme decisions, stressing that every problem has a solution.