Probe Intensifies into Amaravati and Airport Fire Incidents During PM’s Visit

Vijayawada: Police have intensified investigations into two separate fire incidents that occurred on May 2, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Amaravati to relaunch capital development works. One blaze gutted high-value infrastructure pipes near Tallayapalem in the Amaravati capital region, while the other broke out near the Vijayawada International Airport in Gannavaram, raising security concerns.

Guntur SP Satish Kumar inspected the Tallayapalem site along with Thullur DSP T. Muralikrishna. The pipes, made of silicon HDPE and meant for laying 133 KV underground power lines as part of Amaravati’s capital works between 2014 and 2019, were stored at four locations—two of which were completely destroyed. The estimated loss is Rs 9 crore. The SP said they were probing whether the fire was accidental or a case of sabotage, and that forensic samples had been collected.

In the second incident, a fire broke out near the Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower at Vijayawada International Airport around an hour before the Prime Minister’s arrival. Thick smoke reportedly drifted onto the runway, raising aviation safety concerns.

Ajjampudi Village Revenue Officer Vemuri Kamala lodged a complaint, following which Gannavaram police registered a case. Krishna district SP Gangadhara Rao and DSP Srinivasa Rao, along with forensic teams, inspected the site, examined CCTV footage, and gathered statements from local residents and airport security. Investigators are analysing technical and environmental evidence.