Vijayawada: A police constable who dared to brave the Krishna River, swimming across its length with his hands and legs tied, died tragically after being felled by cardiac arrest on Sunday.
Lanke Umamaheswar Rao, 46, breathed his last on Sunday while practicing on the banks of the Krishna River at Sitanagaram near Lotus Hotel.
The adventurous police head constable was chasing his dream of entering the Guinness Book of World Records by accomplishing the feat of swimming 8 km in the sea with his hands and legs tied.
He had actually completed this feat thrice during his practice sessions.
Umamaheswar Rao was working in the Special Protection Force and was practicing vigorously in the backwaters of the Krishna River at Prakasam barrage to showcase his feat on Republic Day before representatives from the Guinness Book.
Born in Oleru village of Battiprolu mandal in Guntur district, on the banks of the River Krishna, Umamaheswar Rao learnt to swim at an early age.
Soon it became a passion and he started swimming long distances in the river. He did his first feat in 2014 with his hands tied and repeated the same with both hands and legs tied in 2015.
In the process he entered the Limca Book of Records and the Telugu Book of Records. On Sunday the police department bid a tearful adieu to their colleague with a last salute.
