Judicial inquiry starts into TD’s Sankranti Kanuka stampede incident

VIJAYAWADA: The judicial inquiry into the stampede during distribution of sarees in Guntur started on Thursday. A committee headed by retired judge Justice Seshasayana Reddy is probing the incident. The state government appointed the panel following the series of stampedes in the state.

Justice Reddy visited the Vikas institutions ground in Sadashiv Nagar in Guntur, the scene of the stampede for an on-the-spot examination.

The stampede occurred during the distribution of Sankranti gifts at an event organised by Telugu Desam leader and NRI, Vuyyuru Srinivas. Guntur Collector Venugopal Reddy, SP Arif Hafeez and police personnel accompanied Justice Reddy.

The officials explained to him that the stampede took place on January 1 when the event was organised by Uyyuru Foundation of Srinivas under the name Sankranti Kanuka. Three women lost their lives and several others were injured.

Justice Reddy spoke to some of the victims. Those who supervised the programme were also called and evidence taken from them. After inspecting the incident site, he met the family members of the victims. Information regarding the incident was collected from them.

TD chief Chandrababu Naidu had attended the programme and gave gifts to some people. After he left, the organisers started a full-scale distribution. There was a mad rush for the gifts. The 52-year-old Gopideshi Ramadevi of AT Agraharam died on the spot. Injured Syed Asia and Sk Janbee died in a hospital.