Two individuals have been arrested in connection with the alleged sabotage that led to the collision of five boats with the Prakasam Barrage gates in Andhra Pradesh. The incident saw the boats crashing into gates 67, 69, and 70 of the barrage sparking concerns of foul play.
The accused, identified as Kukkalagadda Ushadri and Komati Rammohan, hail from Gollapudi and Surayapalem, respectively, according to a report on The New Indian Express. Both were produced before the court and have been remanded to 14-day custody for further investigation. Preliminary reports indicate that the two men are associates of Talasila Raghuram, a YSR Congress MLC and former program coordinator for Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
During the investigation, records revealed that three of the machine boats were registered in Ushadri’s name, while the other two belonged to Rammohan. The circumstances leading to the boats drifting and hitting the barrage gates are still under scrutiny.
The incident has sparked a political spat between the Opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP). The YSRCP has accused the TDP of involvement in the sabotage, alleging that the boats belonged to TDP-affiliated individuals. A YSRCP spokesperson remarked, "The boats that hit the Prakasam Barrage during the flood were TDP's. They know it, but they are shamelessly throwing mud at YSRCP. We have enough evidence that the owner of those boats, Ushadri, is a known TDP activist and a close friend of Nara Lokesh."