Yet another mishap during Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu's roadshow as three women were killed and 13 others were injured in a stampede in Guntur district. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday expressed "shock" over the stampede.
The CM announced Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and of Rs 50 thousand each for the injured. He instructed the officials to ensure quality medical care for the injured and stand by the families of the deceased.
Three women were killed and 13 others were injured in the stampede during the distribution of Sankranti gifts to women by the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
Also read | 'Publicity Mania': Andhra CM Jagan Blames Chandrababu Naidu Over Deaths During Rally
The stampede took place at one of the counters set up for kit distribution, after TDP President and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu left the location after starting the program. Some ladies attempted to advance quickly. As the barricade collapsed, women fell on each other.
This is the second incident in a span of four days in which people lost their lives at a public event of Naidu's Telugu Desam Party, which has been holding a series of political meetings in preparation for the 2024 assembly elections in the state.
Home Minister V Rajini, who visited the hospital, blamed Chandrababu Naidu for the deaths. She claimed that because of his publicity stunts, people were dying.
Reddy had slammed Naidu for the incident and remarked that his craze for publicity had cost human lives. The ruling YSR Congress Party alleged that Naidu was organising road shows and public meetings in congested areas to show that a large number of people were attending his programmes.
(With inputs from ABP Desam — It is a Telugu platform of ABP News. For more news, commentary and latest happenings from two Telugu states, follow https://telugu.abplive.com//amp)