18 People Saved from Rising Pennar Waters
16 Sept 2025 12:46 PM IST16 Sept 2025 12:46 PM IST
The group, residents living near the riverbank, had reportedly ventured into the waters for a late-night party. As the river level began to rise steadily, panic set in, prompting them to call the police control room for help
Circle Inspector Venugopal Reddy with persons who were rescued in the barrage (Photo: By Arrangement)
Nellore: In a gripping late-night operation on Monday, coordinated efforts by multiple departments — including Police, Fire, Revenue, Irrigation, Fisheries, Municipal Corporation, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) — saved 18 people trapped within the swollen Pennar River after water had been released from the Somasila project.
Groups of residents living in Bhagat Singh Colony and other areas of Nellore near the riverbank had reportedly ventured into the waters for a late-night party or playing cards. As the river level began rising steadily, panic set in, prompting them to call the police control room for help.
Responding swiftly, Nawabpet circle inspector G. Venugopal Reddy rushed to the spot. Displaying remarkable courage, he descended into the river using a rope from the NH-16 bridge on the river to reach those stranded.
However, he faced a tough time in locating persons, as they tried to hide sensing trouble from police, as they had been in the river for wrong reasons. They appeared after Reddy announced that they had come to save them and not take action.
The rescue was anything but easy — it took several hours to pull nine people to safety using a ladder lowered from the NH-16 bridge into the river. The operation, carried out with the coordinated efforts of multiple departments, turned out to be an intense, painstaking seven-hour mission.
Thanks to the timely decision of the revenue divisional officer Naga Santhosh Anusha and other officials, including Nellore Rural DSP Ghattamaneni Srinivasa Rao, to suspend release of water from Pennar Barrage, brought down the river level temporarily. This timely move enabled the remaining nine to return safely within a couple of hours.
Everyone, including senior officials, lauded the Nawabpet CI for risking his life in the operation. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Venugopal Reddy said he took the risk of descending into the river to instil confidence among the panic stricken victims that they will be saved.
“Moral support is the need of the hour. There is no use of shouting from the bridge,” Reddy said, adding that two commando courses he did in the past came in handy for tackling the situation.
Apart from his senior officials, he credited superintendent of police Ajitha Vegendla for coordinating the entire operation.
A senior TD leader said Urban Development minister P. Narayana closely monitored the operation till early hours of Tuesday. “The area falls in his Nellore City constituency. Some parents contacted him to save their children,” the leader said.
Responding swiftly, Nawabpet circle inspector G. Venugopal Reddy rushed to the spot. Displaying remarkable courage, he descended into the river using a rope from the NH-16 bridge on the river to reach those stranded.
However, he faced a tough time in locating persons, as they tried to hide sensing trouble from police, as they had been in the river for wrong reasons. They appeared after Reddy announced that they had come to save them and not take action.
The rescue was anything but easy — it took several hours to pull nine people to safety using a ladder lowered from the NH-16 bridge into the river. The operation, carried out with the coordinated efforts of multiple departments, turned out to be an intense, painstaking seven-hour mission.
Thanks to the timely decision of the revenue divisional officer Naga Santhosh Anusha and other officials, including Nellore Rural DSP Ghattamaneni Srinivasa Rao, to suspend release of water from Pennar Barrage, brought down the river level temporarily. This timely move enabled the remaining nine to return safely within a couple of hours.
Everyone, including senior officials, lauded the Nawabpet CI for risking his life in the operation. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Venugopal Reddy said he took the risk of descending into the river to instil confidence among the panic stricken victims that they will be saved.
“Moral support is the need of the hour. There is no use of shouting from the bridge,” Reddy said, adding that two commando courses he did in the past came in handy for tackling the situation.
Apart from his senior officials, he credited superintendent of police Ajitha Vegendla for coordinating the entire operation.
A senior TD leader said Urban Development minister P. Narayana closely monitored the operation till early hours of Tuesday. “The area falls in his Nellore City constituency. Some parents contacted him to save their children,” the leader said.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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