2 Injured as KSRTC Bus Overturns Near Tuggali

Kurnool: Two passengers were injured after a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) sleeper bus travelling from Bengaluru to Mantralayam overturned in roadside agricultural fields in the early hours of Saturday after its steering malfunctioned.

According to Tuggali police, the bus was carrying 29 passengers when its steering rod suddenly broke, causing the driver to lose control. The vehicle veered off the road near Tuggali Railway Station and overturned in the fields.

The injured were shifted to hospital. Police registered a case.

Revenue inspector lands in ACB trap

Anantapur: Anti-Corruption Bureau officials on Saturday arrested Hindupur municipal revenue inspector Ramanjaneyulu after he was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of ₹7,000 for an official favour in Sri Satya Sai district.

According to sources, a landowner, Ravi Kumar, had approached the RI seeking clearance of a municipal file. The official allegedly demanded ₹7,000 to process the work. Unwilling to pay the bribe, Ravi Kumar lodged a complaint with the ACB.

Acting on the information, ACB officers laid a trap and apprehended Ramanjaneyulu inside his office while he was receiving the bribe amount. The official was subsequently arrested and shifted to Kurnool for further procedures, officials said.

JNTUA VC bags ISTE Best Academic Administrator Award

Anantapur: Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University–Anantapur Vice-Chancellor Prof. H. Sudarshana Rao has been conferred the ISTE National Award for Best Academic Administrator for the year 2025.

The award was presented during the 55th Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE) National Annual Faculty Convention, held on Saturday at Sri Manakula Vinayagar Engineering College, Puducherry. This year’s convention focused on the theme “Reimagining Education 5.0: Emerging Technology for a Sustainable Future.”

The annual event brings together leading academicians, researchers and industry experts from across the country to discuss innovations and emerging trends in technical education. As part of the convention, ISTE honours outstanding contributions in categories such as Best Academic Administrator, Best Faculty Researcher, Best Faculty Innovator and Best Woman Teacher.

Prof. Sudarshana Rao’s leadership and contributions to academic excellence at JNTUA earned him this distinguished national recognition.

Surgical blade left inside patient’s leg at Tuni hospital

Kakinada: A case of medical negligence surfaced at the Tuni Area Hospital after doctors allegedly left a surgical blade inside a patient’s leg during a procedure and stitched the wound without noticing it. The lapse came to light the next day when an X-ray revealed the foreign object.

According to sources, the patient, a resident of S. Annavaram village in Tuni mandal, had earlier suffered a leg fracture in an accident nearly one-and-a-half years ago. A steel rod and screws were implanted at the time, which had to be removed as per medical protocol.

Two days ago, doctors at the Area Hospital performed surgery to remove the implants. During the procedure, a surgical blade reportedly slipped into the incision, and the doctor unknowingly stitched the wound with the blade still inside.

When the patient returned the next day complaining of severe pain, the doctor advised an X-ray, which confirmed the presence of the blade. Orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Mahesh Kumar later performed a corrective procedure and successfully removed it. The patient is currently recovering.

Despite the lapse, the patient said he had not filed a complaint, stating that the surgery was otherwise performed well and the mistake was unintentional.

Co-op housing official gets 7-year jail for bribery

Vijayawada: A special ACB court in Kurnool on Friday sentenced R. Subbaiah, assistant registrar of the AP Co-operative Housing Society Federation Limited, to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹10,000.

According to officials, a housing loan of ₹1.25 lakh had been sanctioned earlier to the mother-in-law of Sheikh Shamir Basha of Jokupalem in Kadiri, Anantapur district. When she was unable to repay the loan due to financial hardship, Subbaiah allegedly demanded ₹10,000 to facilitate a one-time settlement of the dues.

Basha later approached the ACB, which laid a trap and caught Subbaiah red-handed while accepting the bribe.

The court awarded him five years RI and a fine of ₹1 lakh under one provision of the PC Act, and seven years RI with another ₹1 lakh fine under a separate section. Both sentences will run concurrently. The court also directed that ₹10,000 from the penalty amount be paid as compensation to the complainant

Youth stabs friend to death over fight for girl

Kakinada: A youth was allegedly stabbed to death by his friend over a dispute involving a girl on Friday night at Pydiparru village in Tanuku Rural mandal in West Godavari district.

Tanuku Rural Circle Inspector B. Krishna Kumar said the accused, Kandula Srinu, and the victim, Siralam Prabhakar, 28, were close friends but recently developed differences over the girl, who is related to Srinu. Despite repeated warnings from Srinu, Prabhakar allegedly continued interacting with her, leading to mounting tension between them.

In a fit of rage, Srinu, accompanied by his friend K. Ganesh, went to Prabhakar’s house on Friday night. Police said Ganesh held Prabhakar while Srinu allegedly attacked him with a knife, inflicting multiple stab wounds.

Prabhakar was rushed to a private hospital in Tanuku, where doctors declared him dead.

Based on a complaint from the victim’s mother, S. Chinnari, Tanuku Rural police have registered a case and hunt is on to nad the accused who were absconding.

Man attacked at tahsildar office over land row

A clash broke out between two groups over a land dispute at the Kurnool tahsildar office on Saturday. Gurunath and Ravishankar Goud had come for a resolution meeting before tahsildar Ramesh Babu when Gurunath and his supporters allegedly attacked Ravishankar Goud with sticks and iron rods, causing him severe injuries.

People present at the office alerted the tahsildar. He said the land dispute was related to Rudravaram village and was under discussion for settlement. The injured person was shifted to the local government hospital. Kurnool Two-Town police registered a case.

Developmental works launched in KUDA limits

Industries and commerce minister T.G. Bharath said that the coalition government is working sincerely for the development of Kurnool city and expressed displeasure over what he called false propaganda by some sections against the government and local leadership.

On Saturday, he, along with KUDA chairman Somisetty Venkateswarlu, performed bhoomi puja for development works worth `1.61 crore in the 18th, 8th and 45th wards of the city.

In the 18th ward, foundation stone was laid for basic infrastructure works worth `18 lakh at the Christian burial ground located beside the KC Canal at Joharapuram. In the 8th ward, CC road works worth `62 lakh were taken up in the Dandegeri area behind the Peddapadkhana Community Hall. In the 45th ward, CC roads and drainage works were launched at a cost of Rs.49 lakh in Venkataramana Colony and Prem Nagar Colony.

The minister said that development works are being taken up on priority across the city. He alleged that the previous rulers had neglected the provision of basic infrastructure. He also stated that the Christian burial ground had earlier been developed during TD tenure and is now being taken up for further improvement again.

Reviving state education system: Nimmala Ramanaidu

Water resources minister Nimmala Ramanaidu said that the alliance government was giving priority to education, strengthening the government schools and colleges to provide education with good standards to downtrodden sections. He laid stone for development works at ASN College at Palakollu in West Godavari district on Saturday.

He said that the government was now bringing the ailing education system during the YSRC regime back into the fold. He said that all infrastructure facilities like waiting halls for the girls, drinking water, toilets and others would be created in the schools.

Later, he inspected several development works in the town and said that the YSRC government inherited 80 lakh metric tonnes of garbage in urban areas and it has imposed taxes on garbage along with property tax and electricity. He alleged the YSRC government diverted the revenue of municipalities and hindered to the development. He said that the people who voted to YSRC should think about why they voted to YSRC in 2024 elections and if it did not develop any cost.

6 habitual peddlers detained in Tirupati

As part of the intensified crackdown on narcotics trafficking, Tirupati district police detained six habitual offenders under the stringent Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act.

Superintendent of police L. Subba Rayudu said the action followed a detailed review that revealed the individuals were repeatedly involved in transporting and distributing ganja across multiple police station limits.

The SP said the district police have adopted a zero-tolerance policy toward narcotics, with all wings of the department working in coordination to curb drug-related offences. Continuous surveillance is being maintained on those with a history of involvement in drug transport and sale, he said, adding that special monitoring teams are tracking their movements.

Rayudu said the PIT-NDPS Act was invoked after examining several cases registered against the accused. “Earlier, seven other offenders had also been detained under the PD Act with government approval,” he noted.

Among those detained are Karani Sai Kumar, 22, of Srikalahasti, who faces four cases including ganja transport, murder and robbery; Ch. Vamsi, 24, of Srikalahasti, named in two narcotics transport cases; Paipuri Venugopal, 45, and P. Parandamu, 58, of Srikalahasti II Town, involved in two and seven ganja cases respectively.

Police also detained Sadu Hari, 28, of Tirupati, accused in 13 cases related to narcotics and property offences, and Nallu Murali, 31 of Thada, who faces six cases involving ganja transport, explosives and red sanders smuggling.

The SP urged the public to report any narcotics-related activity by contacting the nearest police station or dialing 112, assuring confidentiality of information.

Utilise Building Penalisation Scheme, citizens urged

Guntur Municipal Corporation commissioner Puli Srinivasulu on Saturday urged city residents to utilise the state government's Building Penalisation Scheme (BPS)-2025 to regularise buildings constructed without permission or deviating from approved plans made by August 31. He said applications would be accepted online for only 120 days from the date of GO issuance, with required documents including building plans, tax receipts, encumbrance certificate, market value certificate, photos and a `10,000 initial challan prepared by licensed engineers.

The commissioner stated that the government offers a 25% rebate on penal charges for buildings constructed before December 1, 1997, and full exemption for G+1 residential structures up to 60 square yards. He further stated that the structures in unauthorised layouts can also be regularised by paying Layout Regularisation Scheme (LRS) penal charges and complying with LRS norms.

Srinivasulu mentioned that applicants must submit online via GMC-licensed engineers, attaching ownership documents, prior plans if any, stability-related undertakings, and two current building photos. He warned that unauthorized constructions lacking approved plans are already being listed ward-wise and demolished per daily schedules, emphasizing this as a final opportunity to avoid legal action.

AP to showcase midwifery initiative at Portugal workshop

Andhra Pradesh’s efforts to strengthen maternal healthcare and boost institutional deliveries have earned international recognition, with the state invited to present its midwifery training model at a global workshop in Lisbon, Portugal, from June 14 to 18, 2026.

Health commissioner G. Veerapandian said on Saturday that the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), based in the Netherlands, had called for submissions showcasing best practices in maternal care. Andhra Pradesh’s health and family welfare department submitted details of its midwifery training initiative, which was evaluated alongside 6,188 global entries.

The state’s programme was selected as a best-practice model for significantly improving institutional deliveries. The initiative, implemented in partnership with UNICEF and other agencies, involves specialised midwifery training for selected nurses. The first batch has already completed training.

As part of the programme, trained midwives guide pregnant women on exercises to prepare for childbirth, practices during labour, and steps to ensure safe delivery. These interventions, officials said, have substantially increased footfall in government hospitals for institutional deliveries.

Following its recognition, Andhra Pradesh received an official invite to present the model at the Lisbon workshop.

Health minister Satya Kumar Yadav lauded the officials and staff for developing a system that not only strengthens maternal health services but also places the state on an international platform for best practices.

Farooq Shubli vows to restore Urdu Academy’s lost glory

Andhra Pradesh Urdu Academy chairman Mohammad Farooq Shubli on Saturday vowed to restore the institution’s lost glory by enforcing accountability among employees and strengthening initiatives to promote the Urdu language. Speaking to the media here, he said only those who work sincerely towards the academy’s objectives would receive due recognition and timely salaries.

Shubli recalled that salaries had remained pending for nearly a year during the previous regime, but under the current coalition government led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, payments were being made regularly. With timely salaries now ensured, employees must work in proportion to their pay, he asserted. “During my tenure, staff will remain active, and this period will be remembered as a golden era for the Urdu Academy,” he said.

He criticised previous administrators for failing to ensure accountability. With 159 employees—more than any similar institution—the academy will now utilise its workforce effectively, he noted. Those who perform well will be suitably rewarded.

Shubli said the academy would push for the use of Urdu on government boards and nameplates across Andhra Pradesh, as the language is recognised as the state’s second official language. Signboards such as “I Love Andhra Pradesh,” currently displayed in Telugu and English, would soon include Urdu as well.

The chairman announced that Urdu translators would be posted in government offices wherever needed. He added that the academy would take up initiatives under the Madarsa Modernisation Scheme and introduce training in Urdu Desktop Publishing (DTP) as part of upcoming skill development programmes.

Control rooms, helplines set up for Cyclone Ditwa in AP

With Cyclone Ditwa intensifying in the southwest Bay of Bengal, home and disaster management minister Vangalapudi Anitha on Saturday reviewed preparedness at the State Disaster Management Authority office. She instructed officials to closely monitor the storm’s movement, alert vulnerable districts without delay, and deploy SDRF and NDRF teams wherever required.

Officials informed the minister that heavy rains are expected on Sunday in Prakasam, Nellore, Sri Sathya Sai, Kadapa, Annamaya, Chittoor and Tirupati districts. Anitha held teleconferences with collectors of these districts, directing strict enforcement of precautionary measures to prevent loss of life. She emphasised real-time dissemination of cyclone updates to grassroots staff and the public, urging field machinery to remain on high alert.

Control rooms have been activated to function round-the-clock, with toll-free helplines 112, 1070 and 18004250101 available for assistance.

The minister asked officials to identify people living in dilapidated structures and shift them to safer locations or relief camps if necessary. She also sought immediate removal of fallen trees and prompt restoration of power supply in affected areas.

Advising caution, Anitha appealed to citizens to stay indoors during heavy rains, urged farmers to avoid risky field activity, and warned the public to stay away from trees and hoardings during strong winds.

Steel ministry officials suspect sabotage of production units

Joint secretaries from the Union ministry of steel, Abhijit Narendra and Daya Nidhan Pandey, expressed concern on Saturday that recent breakdowns at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) may not be solely due to poor maintenance, hinting at the possibility of deliberate sabotage.

During an interaction with employees, the officials said the pattern of failures, particularly repeated conveyor belt breakdowns in the past 10 days, suggested that intentional damage could not be ruled out. They warned that any such acts would be dealt with sternly and urged employees to remain vigilant, reporting suspicious activity immediately to their departments.

To tighten security, they said CCTV cameras are being installed at critical points, illumination will be enhanced, and surveillance mechanisms strengthened. The suspected sabotage has already been reported to the police, prompting a formal investigation. Later, the two joint secretaries, along with the CMD and senior officials, inspected the affected areas in the presence of district collector Harendhira Prasad and city police commissioner Shankhabrata Bagchi.

The officials recalled that VSP had been operating with just one blast furnace, producing about 30% of its capacity until September last year. With the Centre’s financial package, two additional furnaces were revived, placing the plant back on the recovery track. They emphasised that the plant must achieve 19,000 tonnes of hot metal per day, 92.5% capacity utilisation, to sustain operations. Further financial aid from the Centre was unlikely, they cautioned, making it crucial for the plant to stabilise production.

However, they noted with concern that production has not improved even after restarting the third furnace and has, in fact, declined this month. Persistent equipment breakdowns remain a major obstacle, they added.

Two men die after bike hits road divider

Two persons died on the spot when their motorcycle rammed into a road divider near Neppalli Centre on the national highway in Kankipadu police limits, Krishna district, late on Friday night.

According to Kankipadu police, Pachigalla Daniel, 25, was riding the bike with Sandoli Narasimhulu, 45, as pillion. The rider reportedly lost control near Neppalli Centre, causing the vehicle to crash into the divider. The impact threw both men off the bike, killing them instantly.

The bodies were shifted to the government hospital in Vuyyuru for post-mortem. Police suspect overspeeding led to the mishap. A case was registered and an investigation was in progress.

Kurnool GGH blood bank top in state

The blood bank at Kurnool Government General Hospital (GGH) has secured the top position in the state for collecting the highest number of blood units this year. The facility collected 11,531 units, earning it the Best Service Award for 2024.

Medical College principal Dr K. Chitti Narasamma, hospital superintendent Dr K. Venkateswarlu, Pathology department head Dr Baleeswari, and blood bank medical officer Dr Rangaswamy congratulated the staff for their efforts and consistent service.

The award will be presented on December 1, marking World AIDS Day, at a ceremony at Thummalapalli Kalakshetram, Vijayawada, in the presence of the Health Minister and senior officials of the medical and health department.