Yet another stampede at TDP event kills three, injures several
VIJAYAWADA: Three women died and at least 13 were grievously injured after a stampede at TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s Sankranti gift programme in Guntur on Sunday evening. This is the second incident in a span of four days when people lost their lives at public events led by Naidu, who has been holding a series of political programmes across the state ahead of Assembly polls next year. Remember, eight TDP workers, including two women, died during a stampede at Naidu’s roadshow in Nellore district on Wednesday.
According to sources, women were mobilised in large numbers by TDP volunteers from 1pm. They collected the details of the women and issued them tokens for distributing kits. Sources also pointed out that though 30 distribution counters were planned, only 12 were arranged. Moreover, most of the counters were installed in proximity. In fact, the event was scheduled at 3.30 pm, but Naidu reportedly came only after 5 pm and addressed the gathering post 6 pm.
Soon after Naidu’s address, the volunteers started distributing the kits across the counters. After a few minutes, the organiser asked the women to return to their homes and that the kits would be distributed at their doorstep. This irked women stuck in queues for several hours.They, instantly, rushed to the first counter in order to collect the kits. This in turn led to a stampede, police said.
Chaos prevailed even as several women fell on each other. Many of them were severely injured by the time cops rushed to bring the situation under control. While 53-year-old G Ramadevi died on the spot, 32-year-old Ayesha and another woman, Shaik Mastan Bee, lost their lives while being shifted to the hospital from the event site.
District Collector Venugopal Reddy, superintendent of police (SP) Arif Hafeez inspected the premises and enquired about the incident.Arif Hafeez said that even as the agitated women rushed to the first counter, several barricades that were meant for maintaining queues fell on them. This, in fact, led to more panic among the women. However, the SP also clarified that the stampede took place despite massive security arrangements in place. “Seven station inspectors and police personnel were deployed for security arrangements under the supervision of Guntur East DSP Seetaramaiah at the event,” he added.
Ex-gratia announced
Expressing shock over the incident, Chandrababu Naidu announced Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia for the families of the deceased. “It is very sad and unfortunate that three women died after I left the programme,’’ he said and added that the programme was conducted to encourage charity for the poor. Meanwhile, CM Jagan Mohan Reddy has announced Rs 2 lakh aid to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 assistance to those injured in the stampede.
Blame-game rages on
Health Minister Vidadala Rajani along with YSRC leaders visited the injured at Guntur GGH and consoled the families of the deceased.Blaming Naidu for the tragic incident, she said that Naidu’s obsession with self-promotion took another three lives, just days after the Kandukur incident. “The TDP alone is responsible for this incident,’’ she said.