1. Story of the year
July 27, 2013
Congress backs a split AP
Brushing aside objections and apprehensions from Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, and several ministers from the Seemandhra region, the Congress Central leadership “in principle” decided to divide the state of Andhra Pradesh, which has been in existence since 1956.
Celebration over Telangana
The Deccan Chronicle broke the story three days before the official declaration and as reports kept coming in, there was still no word about the nature of the division — whether it will be 'pure' Telangana state with 10 districts of Telangana region and Hyderabad as its capital city, or Rayala Telangana state to include Kurnool and Anantapur districts of the backward Rayalaseema region.
Next: Scoop of the Year
2. Scoop of the Year
July 24, 2013
How AP cops were failing in law tests
The report in DC revealed how a sizeable number of police officials had only a 'sketchy knowledge' of the Indian Penal Code, clauses in the Criminal Procedure Code and rules in the Police Manual with many even failing the basics.
Monthly tests conducted by the police department showed that around 16 to 20 per cent of the state’s police personnel scored 40 per cent — categorised as “below average” — and around 50 per cent scored 40 to 60 per cent marks — categorised as “average”. Only 30 per cent managed 'good', which 60 per cent of marks.
3. Most shameful
Most shameful
June 26, 2013
AP ridiculed on national stage
Days after the the Uttarakhand flood tragedy, Congress and Telugu Desam MPs exposed the state to much ridicule by squabbling for the ownership of pilgrims to be flown back home from the disaster-hit region. The fight between Telugu Desam MPs Ramesh Rathod and K. Narayana Rao, and senior Congress MP V. Hanumantha Rao was broadcast all over the country.
The two parties had been shamelessly trying to upstage each other in showing concern for the Char Dham survivors. Both had organised flights to bring back survivors.
Next: Incidents of crime against women
4. Incidents of crime against women
Feb 21, 2013
Nikhil Moore kidnap
Designing engineer Nikhil More, who had sprayed pepper spray on her abductors and jumped out of the autorickshaw she was being abducted in, had been admitted in the ICU of Apollo Hospital with a fracture and a head injury.
Doctors declared that she was out of danger after two days. Ms Nikhil’s friend, Kiran, who she was talking to over phone during the time of abduction, had immediately informed the DCP, North Zone about the incident and she was saved.
Oct 21, 2013
City techie gang rape
A22-year-old techie, who escaped an attempt to kidnap her near Gachibowli, told police that the two men, one of whom was the cab driver, had plans to rape her.
It was later revealed that she was indeed raped by the two men in the cab. The incident shook the city. In her police complaint, she said that she had finished some shopping and had hailed a taxi at about 9 pm to return to her hostel.
Next: Tragedies of the year
5. Tragedies of the year
Feb 21, 2013
17 die in twin blasts in city
Seventeen people were killed and more than 100 others injured when two blasts ripped through the densely populated Dilsukhnagar.
The bombs went off at two places, one opposite the busy Dilsukhnagar bus station and another opposite Konark theatre. The bombs were packed into meal containers and police later said the devices were made to cause maximum damage.
July 9, 2013
The collapse of City Light Hotel
The famous City Light Hotel in Secunderabad collapsed on the morning of July 8, instantly killing 15 people. Three more succumbed over the next few days. An investigation by police later, revealed that the hotel owner had been violating several building rules while running the hotel. He was soon arrested.
The place, where the hotel once stood, is now a parking lot for cars and autorickshaws.
Next: Achievement of the year
6. Achievement of the year
Nov 5, 2013
India takes off towards the Red planet
The country took its first steps to join the super-select group of countries to have achieved inter-planetary travel with the flawless launch of its Mars orbiter from the spaceport at Sriharikota.
The PSLV-powered lift-off at 2.38 pm was textbook-perfect.
Isro’s is also the world’s cheapest mission to Mars, at Rs 450 crore, and the quickest, conceived in just 15 months.
Next: Historic decision of the year
7. Historic decision of the year
July 31, 2013
CWC approves Telangana
The Congress Working Committee’s decision to carve out a separate Telangana state from Andhra Pradesh, hit world headlines. According to he plan, both states will have Hyderabad as the common capital for 10 years during which time a new capital for the Andhra state will be constructed.
The UPA Coordination Committee meeting, which was followed by the Congress Working Committee meeting, fully endorsed the decision of Congress president Sonia Gandhi in this regard.
Next: Street brawl of the year
8. Street brawl of the year
May 5, 2013
Actor Ram Charan’s guards vs two techies
Images from the street brawl involving the security personnel of Ram Charan Tej and techies Phanish and Kalyan were trending hot on the Web for months.
The techies claimed their Maruti Alto had ‘swiped’ the actor’s Aston Martin, following which Ram called the security detail, about six of them, who then manhandled the Alto duo. But finally, no case was filed by Phanish or Kalyan against the alleged attack.
Next: The year’s biggest disclosure
9. The year’s biggest disclosure
Dec 29, 2013
Pawan Kalyan & his Russian bride
The year’s biggest Tollywood wedding was witnessed by just a handful. The Hyderabad Chronicle carried on its front page news of how Tollywood star Pawan Kalyan had married long-time partner Anna Lezhneva.
The marriage was solemnised at the sub-registrar’s office at Erragadda, which had issued a marriage certificate on September 30. This is Pawan’s third marriage.
Next: Discovery of the year
10. Discovery of the year
Aug 16, 2013
NGRI finds diamonds
New research has hinted at the possibility of a diamond seam in the Nallamala forest region in AP. Scientists claimed to have found a new, cost-effective and quick search tool, using earthquake data, for identifying regions where diamonds could potentially occur.
Geoscientists from city-based CSIR National Geophysical Research Institute Dr Subrata Das Sharma and Dr Durbha Sai Ramesh published their findings in the latest issue of the journal Lithosphere.
Next: The year in snippets
The year in snippets
July 10, 2013
Kidney seller held in Uganda
Professor Chaturvedi Vasudev, vice-president, sales and business of the Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital was taken into custody by Ugandan law enforcement authorities in July on allegations of human trafficking and irregularities in kidney transplantations.
Chaturvedi was marketing Kims’ services for kidney and liver transplantations in East Africa, particularly Uganda, and was channeling patients, including donors and recipients to Kims at Hyderabad.
Nov 9, 2013
Man scalds dog with hot water
Akash Subba, 26, who was working in a fast food centre was sentenced to 14-day judicial custody for pouring boiling water onto a dog. Police said, the dog was abandoned after its owner left the neighbourhood and was being looked after by one Venkatesh Reddy.
Tommy, the 5-year-old female dog, was treated for serious injuries. The sentencing was a first of its kind response to animal cruelty and the report was hailed by animal lovers across the city as just momentous.
Dec 11, 2013
Chimp suzi and her big escape from the Hyderabad zoo
Chimp Suzi’s escape from the Nehru Zoological Park did cause massive confusion in the city. She also attacked three staffers, who suffered minor injuries, before her brief shot at freedom was ended.
The reason for her great escape was a very human one. Suzi was having problems with her mate Jimmy. And they were having constant fights. Suzi, who is 21 years old, had opened the latch that was bolted from the outside.
Along the way, she hit sweeper Susheelamma who tried to drive her away with a broom. At the food court, Suzi bit two staffers and was later found sitting in a corner.
May 31, 2013
Rs 100 cr overdose for drugs exposed
The state government has paid a whopping Rs 100 crore extra for buying just antibiotics and cotton and bandages over the last three years, 2009-10 to 2012-13, because of a bad procurement policy.
DC revealed that the breakdown is Rs 88 crore on antibiotics and Rs 11.76 crore on cotton and bandages, according to a report submitted by the Andhra Pradesh Medical Services and Infrastruc-ture Development Corporation (APMSIDC) to the state government recently.
The procurement of antibiotics, cotton and bandage cloths, is done from public sector units and handloom units, which are supposed to provide the best quality.
But in laboratory tests conducted on three antibiotics — ciprofloxacin tablets 250 mg, ciprofloxacin tablets 500 mg, and amoxicillin and clavulante injection of one gm — it was found that these medicines were not of standard quality. Ciprofloxacin tablets are given for influenza and if the quality is not up to the mark, the infection is bound to spread and advance the effect of flu, according to doctors.
