ONGOLE: Tragedy struck a wedding house at Katakanipalli village in Dornala mandal of Markapuram district as bridegroom Puppala Raj Kumar (23), who was supposed to get married on Monday, along with Puppala Vinay Kumar (22), went missing in the Veligonda Project feeder canal on Saturday.
Having learnt about the incident, District Collector Vijaya Sunitha and SP Harshavardhan Raju directed officials to launch a search operation for the missing youths.
Raj Kumar, the only son of P Pedda Avulaiah, was working in a private pharmacy in Pedda Dornala, while Vinay Kumar was a car driver. Water Resources Minister N Ramanaidu and Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar spoke to the Collector and the SP over the phone on Sunday, and directed them to intensify the search operation for the missing youths.
According to officials, Raj Kumar went to the canal at 17.7 km near his village with six friends. Raj Kumar and Vinay Kumar entered into the canal through the ramp.
As the water flow was heavy, they were washed away. Noticing it, their friend Y Raju tried to save them by entering the canal. As the water flow velocity was very high, the duo were washed away. Raju somehow swam to safety. On receiving information, Y Palem CI Ajay Kumar and Dornala Tahsildar Ashok Kumar Reddy rushed to the spot and took up search operation. RDO Sivarami Reddy, Yerragondapalem TDP incharge G Erixion Babu, and others also visited the spot.