Brahmasamudram police have registered a case based on a complaint from family members. The bodies were shifted to Kalyanadurgam hospital for post-mortem examination.
Anantapur: Two brothers working as farm labourers drowned in a water sump at Palavenakatapuram village in Brahmasamudram mandal on Sunday.
Sources said T. Nagendra, 35, and T. Charan, 26, were engaged in spraying pesticides in a mango orchard. In the afternoon, they went to drink water from a sump located inside the orchard. Nagendra slipped and fell into the sump, and Charan, who attempted to rescue him, also fell into the deep water.
As neither of them knew how to swim, both drowned.
Brahmasamudram police have registered a case based on a complaint from family members. The bodies were shifted to Kalyanadurgam hospital for post-mortem examination.
Punt stalls mid-river on Godavari, 80 passengers panic
Kakinada: A punt operating between Sakhinetipalli ferry point in Dr B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district and Narsapuram in West Godavari district came to a halt mid-river on the Godavari due to a technical snag on Sunday. The vessel was carrying passengers and vehicles, and those on board panicked for nearly 30 minutes as it remained stranded.
Another punt later arrived and towed the stalled vessel to safety. Sources said around 80 passengers were on board at the time.
Passengers urged the authorities to prevent irregularities in ferry operations, alleging that contractors are loading passengers and vehicles beyond permissible capacity. Sources added that such incidents are occurring frequently.
Ambulance staff protest seeking salary arrears
Kakinada: Employees of the ‘104’ ambulance service staged a protest here on Sunday, demanding that the government release their pending salaries.
CITU senior leader Duvva Seshu Babji said the staff were facing grave injustice as arrears, gratuity, earned leave and other dues were not being paid. He alleged that Aurobindo, the agency managing the ‘104’ service, was not issuing appointment letters, pay slips or other necessary employment documents to workers.
He demanded that the government ensure the release of arrears, appointment letters and pay slips, and also increase salaries. He said the salary of data entry operators should be raised to ₹18,500, and an automatic salary slab must be implemented for employees who have completed five years of service. He further sought the appointment of buffer staff in every division and implementation of casual leave provisions as per labour laws.
Ambulance services employees’ union district general secretary Medisetty Trimurthulu, district working president Venkatrao, treasurer Srinu and others participated in the protest.
Wild bear mauls farmer
A sloth bear attacked and seriously injured a farmer in ASR district in the intervening night of Saturday. He was admitted to a primary health centre and his condition is said to be stable.
Reports said Jinni Appa Rao, a podu cultivator, had gone to his farmland on a hill near Urumulu village under Iragai panchayat of Araku mandal to keep watch. While he was asleep, a bear mauled him, inflicting injuries to his head and hands. Appa Rao ran downhill and raised an alarm, following which villagers alerted ambulance services and rushed him to hospital.
Police seize vehicles in cordon and search in Kasumuru
Police conducted a major cordon and search operation in Kasumuru Dargah, Kasumuru Thippa, BC Colony and Pedduru areas under Venkatachalam police station limits on Sunday, as per the instructions of district SP Dr Ajita Vejendla. The operation aimed to curb illegal activities and strengthen public confidence in the police.
Around 125 personnel including CIs, SIs, rural police staff and special teams participated under the supervision of rural DSP G. Srinivasa Rao.
Police seized 39 bikes and seven auto-rickshaws without valid documents, and identified one vehicle linked to a case in Manubolu. Two persons allegedly involved in illegal activities were detained, while two ITP Act cases were booked against two couples. Details and fingerprints of several suspects were collected.
Officials said the focus was on locating absconding offenders, checking for ganja, tracing stolen property such as gold and silver, and seizing unregistered vehicles, illegal liquor, weapons, explosives and narcotics. Houses across the localities were searched thoroughly.
Police urged the public to cooperate with such operations to maintain law and order and to report suspicious activities to local police or Dial 112/100.
Two-wheeler theft gang busted in Bapatla
Bapatla district police have arrested three persons involved in a series of two-wheeler thefts across several districts, recovering 37 stolen vehicles worth Rs.21.2 lakh.
District superintendent of police B. Umamaheshwar announced the arrests at a press conference on Sunday.
The accused were identified as Kagga Sambasiva Rao, 32, a lorry driver from Pottur village in Guntur district, and brothers Dasari Gopiraju, 32, and Dasari Durga Rao, 24, from Chirala town. All three were arrested in separate operations on Sunday morning.
Police said Sambasiva Rao had been stealing motorcycles for the past two years to fund a lavish lifestyle. He allegedly targeted bikes parked outside houses and hospitals, using stolen keys and locks to break in. He is suspected to have operated across Bapatla, Guntur, Palnadu, Vijayawada and NTR districts. Police recovered 33 two-wheelers linked to his offences.
The Dasari brothers, who earn a living selling brooms, are accused of turning to theft six months ago. They allegedly stole four vehicles within the Chirala I Town and Addanki Town police limits.
Vice-principal suspended for beating Class VII students with pipe
Tension prevailed at the Eklavya Model School in Ojili, Tirupati district, after vice-principal Arun Kumar allegedly beat several Class VII students with a pipe resembling a drip-irrigation tube, leaving some of them bleeding.
Naidupeta DSP G. Chenchubabu said the incident occurred after a dispute among students. Instead of resolving the issue, the vice-principal allegedly assaulted multiple students for not revealing the name of the child who had annoyed a group of girls.
As Sunday is a visiting day, many parents were on campus and were shocked when the children showed them their injuries. This led to panic and an angry protest at the school gate, with parents alleging that the vice-principal had previously behaved harshly towards students.
Police reached the spot to pacify the crowd. The DSP confirmed that Arun Kumar and another teacher have been placed under suspension. Around 10 students sustained injuries and were treated at the local health centre.
Officials said further action would be taken after the completion of an inquiry.
