BHUPALPALLY : In a tragic incident that raised questions about security lapses at the Medigadda barrage, six youngsters drowned in the Godavari River on Saturday evening.
The incident occurred just before a scheduled visit by former minister T Harish Rao. According to sources, the group had gone to the barrage after attending the wedding reception of their relative.
Madhu Sudhan and his brother Shiva Manoj were the first to enter the water for a swim but soon began to drown. Four others — T Rakshith (13), K Sagar (16) from Ambatipally village in Mahadevpur mandal, B Rama Charan from Korutla, and P Rahul, a native of Andhra Pradesh — jumped in to rescue them but also drowned in the process. Eyewitnesses said that the initial two victims struggled in the water, prompting the others to attempt a rescue. Unfortunately, none of them made it out alive.
Upon receiving information, Kataram DSP Ram Mohan Reddy and his team rushed to the spot. Efforts to retrieve the bodies were launched with the help of local swimmers.
Preliminary reports suggest that the youths may have consumed alcohol before entering the water and were unaware of the barrage’s depth, which contributed to the tragedy.