KURNOOL: Tungabhadra Pushkarams got-off to a tumultuous start amid chanting of vedic mantras as Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy formally opened the festivities at Sankal Bagh pushkar ghat around 1.40 pm here on Friday. On arrival, he offered prayers to River Tungabhadra and gave Ganga Haarathi to the river besides silk saris.
Later, in traditional attire, he participated in a special yagam performed in the newly constructed yagasala near the pushkar ghat where Ayush Homams would be performed and offered purna phalam amid spiritual music and rendition of mantras.
However, the absence of his family members did not go well with the onlookers.
Deputy chief minister SB Amzad Basha, district in-charge minister P Anil Kumar Yadav, ministers Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, Gummanur Jayaram, Vellampalli Sreenivash, M Shankara Narayana, district collector G Veera Pandian, MPs TG Venkatesh, Dr S Saniv Kumar and Gorantla Madav, and MLAs accompanied the Chief Minister.
Before leaving for Amaravati, Jagan Mohan Reddy interacted with family members of Nandyal Abdul Salam, who committed suicide along with his wife, daughter and son unable to bear alleged police torture.
He assured financial help and protection to the victim's kin. Mabunne Sha, mother-in-law of Abdul Salam, wanted the Chief Minister to take stern action against the accused policemen.
Meanwhile, as a preventive measure Kurnool police detained several prominent political leaders belonging to BJP, CPM and CPI and also various delegates of different social organizations.
They were demanding approval for the holy dip in Tungabhadra waters during the pushkaralu.
