GUNTUR: What began as a condolence visit by former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to Palnadu turned tragic, with two lives lost during a YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) rally held as part of his tour.
Ironically, Jagan was en route to Rentapalla to console the family of party leader K Naga Malleswar Rao, who died by suicide last year, a death that has come to symbolise the YSRCP’s post-election turbulence.
In the first incident, Chilli Singayya (53), a resident of Vengalayapalem, sustained fatal injuries after being run over by a Tata Safari near Etukuru on the Lalpuram highway.
According to police, he slipped while stepping forward to shower flowers near an Anjaneya Swamy statue and fell under a vehicle believed to be part of the unofficial convoy ahead of Jagan’s entourage.
Eyewitnesses claimed the vehicle did not stop, and YSRCP supporters ignored the injured man, leaving him by the roadside.
He was later rushed to Guntur Government Hospital by local residents but succumbed to his injuries.
In a separate incident, 30-year-old Papasani Jayavardhan Reddy of Autonagar collapsed during a scuffle near the Sattenapalli clock tower and was declared dead at a local hospital.
Min: It’s reckless mobilisation & political drama
Speaking to TNIE, Palnadu SP Kanche Srinivasa Rao confirmed his death and stated that further details would emerge during the investigation.
Guntur SP Satish Kumar and Guntur Range IG Sarvashreshta Tripathi confirmed that only three vehicles had been officially permitted to accompany Jagan’s convoy, but 30 to 35 unauthorised vehicles followed, contributing to the chaos.
A case has been registered, and investigations are underway. Notably, the Palnadu police, considering logistical constraints, safety, and traffic concerns, had granted conditional permission for only three cars and a maximum of 100 attendees to accompany the convoy.
However, large crowds gathered along the route from Guntur to Sattenapalli to welcome Jagan, and a massive rally with several two-wheelers and four-wheelers was also conducted.
Meanwhile, Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar lashed out at the YSRCP leadership, calling the deaths a consequence of “reckless mobilisation and political drama.”
He said Jagan’s convoy showed “no humanity” in leaving behind an injured man and accused the YSRCP of exploiting past tragedies for sympathy.
“Singayya’s death reflects the party’s arrogance,” Ravi Kumar said. “The same Jagan who ignored party workers while in power is now staging condolence visits for electoral gain.”
