VIJAYAWADA: The clamour to get a kilo of onion sold at subsidised rates at Rythu Bazaars claimed
the life of a 55-year person in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh on Monday morning.
With the onion prices touching Rs 180 per kilo in retail market, people have been making a beeline to the Rythu Bazaars where the government is selling onions at a subsidised price of Rs 25 per kilo. An individual is given only one kilo of onion on producing Aadhaar card.
This, however, is not stopping people to stand in lines from 5 am itself at the Rythu Bazaars across the state. 55-year-old Sambaiah was among the hundreds who stood in queue since early morning and was waiting for his turn when he reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed. Locals shifted him to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead.
Meanwhile, people continue to wait for hours together to get a kg of onion in front of Rythu Bazaars across the State. Agitated people are resorting to protests forcing the authorities to sell onions with police protection.
The death of Sambaiah came just minutes after the Opposition TDP MLAs led by their president and Opposition leader N Chandrababu Naidu marched to the AP State Assembly protesting the government's failure to supply onions at an affordable price. As the MLAs were carrying placards and wore garlands made of onions, the Assembly security staff prevented them from entering the Assembly premises.
After arguments with the security staff, the TDP MLAs went inside the Assembly premises keeping the placards outside.
The TDP also moved an adjournment motion on the first day of the winter session of the Assembly but was rejected by the Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram.