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Three die in another stampede at public meeting led by Naidu
Three people died and several others were injured in yet another stampede which broke out at Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu’s second public meeting in less than a week, in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur town on Sunday, police said
Three people died and several others were injured in yet another stampede which broke out at Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu’s second public meeting in less than a week, in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur town on Sunday, police said.
Four days ago, seven people were killed and six injured when they fell in an open drain after the crowd lost control at the TDP leader’s rally on December 28 in Nellore district.
Those injured in Sunday’s stampede were rushed to a hospital for treatment. According to police, the incident took place at the event held at Vikas Nagar area during the distribution of clothes and gifts to people. Naidu had left the spot only a few minutes back, officials said, when the crowd surged forward for the gifts and the organisers could not control the crowds, leading to the stampede.
The event was immediately stopped following the stampede, party officials said.
While two people died due to suffocation, a woman succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment at a government hospital, police said.
Naidu had addressed the gathering and distributed the gifts as part of an exercise undertaken by a charitable organisation, Vuyyuru Charitable Trust. He termed the incident as unfortunate, and announced an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh to each of the family of the deceased.
“It is really painful that three persons died in the stampede that took place after I left the venue as the programme was complete. I attended the programme only to encourage that voluntary organisation which is trying to help the poor,” Naidu said in an official release.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also expressed shock over the stampede. He directed the officials to ensure quality healthcare to those injured and stand by the families of deceased, an official statement said.
Guntur police have ordered an inquiry into the incident, superintendent of police Arif Hafeez said, adding that a report has been sought in this regard.
Health minister Vidadala Rajini visited the Guntur government hospital where the injured were undergoing treatment.
Naidu last week had announced an ex gratia of ₹10 lakh to the families of those who died at the December 28 event. “It is very unfortunate that seven people had lost their lives. We shall stand by their families,” the TDP president had said.
