WARANGAL: Backward Class welfare minister Gangula Kamalakar narrowly escaped from falling into a lake while he was offering prayers at Oora Cheruvu, at Asifnagar village in Karimnagar Rural mandal, when participating in the Cheruvula Panduga celebrations held as part of celebrations marking completion of a decade of Telangana formation.
The incident took place on Thursday but the video showing Kamalakar slipping into the lake water from a local boat went viral on social media on Friday.
When the Cheruvula Panduga celebrations were on, the villagers requested Kamalakar to board the local boat and offer prayers. When he tried to get into it, the boat suddenly turned turtle and Kamalakar fell into the water.
Immediately, the police officials and the minister’s security personnel rescued Kamalakar and brought him out of the water safely. Kamalakar did not suffer any injuries.
Earlier, the minister was accorded a warm welcome by the villagers of Chamanpally, Appanapalli and Asifnagar. Carrying Bhatukammas on their heads, they too participated in the Cheruvula Panduga celebrations. At Appanapalli, the minister inaugurated Bhatukamma thalli statue on the premises of the lake there.
