Government’s negligence led to death of seven devotees at Simhachalam: YSRCP leader Jagan insidelooknews

YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy consoling the family members of the deceased, at Chandrampalem in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday slammed the NDA government for its “negligence,” which, he alleged, led to the wall collapse and death of seven devotees at Simhachalam during Chandanotsavam.

Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy arrived in Visakhapatnam in the evening and met the family members of the deceased — P. Uma Maheswara Rao and his Sailaja, and their relatives Mahalakshmi and Venkata Ratnam — hailing from Chandrampalem.

Later, addressing the media, he questioned why did the government not take adequate measures despite knowing that the festival would attract lakhs of devotees. Though the government boasted of five-member Ministers’ committee to review the arrangements, it terribly failed to make basic arrangements. He questioned why was the wall constructed three days ago, and suspected its quality.

The YSRCP president said he was informed that devotees had no access to toilets and drinking water along the queue lines. “The government is not at all serious about the general devotees,” he said.

Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu tried to defame the TTD by creating a “fake story” on laddu. In January this year, on the occasion of ‘Vaikunta Ekadasi’ at Tirumala, six devotees died in a stampede. Due to the negligence of the government, many cows died in the TTD-run gosala and several tortoises died in Srikurmam, he alleged. During the Godavari Pushkarams in 2015, 29 people died in a stampede, he recollected.

“Whenever such incidents take place, Mr. Naidu constitutes a committee. But its findings are never made public, and no action is taken,” he alleged.

In the recent Tirumala stampede incident, Mr. Naidu transferred a police officer and later rewarded him with a better posting. “That very officer, now part of the Special Investigation Team, is known to be close to Mr. Naidu,” the YSRCP chief said.

“There should be a sense of accountability among officials and police. They should fear the consequences for being irresponsible. But under Mr. Naidu’s leadership, no one is held accountable, which is why such incidents keep repeating,” he said.

“The government has announced compensation only after learning that I am visiting to console the victims,” he added.

YSRCP Uttarandhra regional coordinator K. Kannababu, Anakapalli district president Gudivada Amarnath, Visakhapatnam district president K.K. Raju, and MLCs Botcha Satyanarayana and Varudu Kalyani were present.