KAKINADA: Several Telugu Desam leaders, including former ministers, escaped providentially from great danger when the punt they had boarded overturned and they fell into Godavari River near Sompalli wharf in Razole mandal of Konaseema district on Thursday around 6:30 p.m.
Those who escaped from jaws of death including former ministers Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao and Pithani Satyanarayana, TD MLC Angani Rammohan Rao, Undi MLA Manthena Ramaraju, former Tanuku MLA A. Radhakrishna and a few media persons. They had all been accompanying former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on his tour of the flood-affected areas.
Naidu had visited the flood-hit areas around Ayodhya Lanka in Achanta Assembly segment. Thereafter, he boarded a punt at the islet village to reach Konaseema district and continue his visit of flood-affected people.
The TD chief, former ministers, TD leaders, media persons and security men numbering nearly 70 members had climbed into the punt. However, it could not reach Sompalli shore as the depth of water at the point was insufficient. Following this, TD leaders including Nimmakayala China Rajappa arrived in another boat for Chandrababu to deboard.
As soon as the former CM shifted, remaining leaders and media persons moved forward in the punt. Due to the sudden shift of weight, chains of the punt broke and it overturned, sending its occupants into 4 feet to 6 feet of water. People threw life jackets at those in the river and swimmers too jumped in and rescued all.
Still and video cameras of media personnel, however, got badly damaged.
Former irrigation minister Devineni Uma said Godavari Matha’s blessings had saved him. TD MLC Angani Rammohan Rao and Undi MLA Manthena Ramaraju expressed happiness that they had survived.
Earlier, Chandrababu Naidu accused Jagan Mohan Reddy government of failing to rescue or rehabilitate flood-hit victims, though floods had been forecast a week before and floodwaters reached Godavari districts after travelling nearly 1,500 kilometres. The former CM accused state government of arranging only one boat for every 1,500 people and supplying four tomatoes, four onions and a little quantity of chillies to each family as relief.
The TD chief demanded that state government compensate each flood-affected family with ₹10,000 on lines of the Telangana government.
