Two die, eight injured in bullock cart race in Ongole

Two die, eight injured in bullock cart race in Ongole January 17, 2012 Ongole Two people were killed and eight others were injured during a state-level bullock cart race held on the occasion of Sankranti festival at the mandal headquarters, Kottapatnam, 16 km from Ongole town, on Sunday. Two people were killed and eight others were injured during a state-level bullock cart race held on the occasion of Sankranti festival at the mandal headquarters, Kottapatnam, 16 km from Ongole town, on Sunday. According to information, thousands of people gathered to witness the event organised by the YSR Congress leaders. Former ZP chairman K. Arunamma inaugurated the competition. In a bid to watch the proceedings from vantage points, some people, who climbed a building, came in contact with 11 KV cables above the building. Everything went haywire and chaos prevailed at the venue after the incident when all those who suffered shock, landed on the ground from the building top. While two of them were killed on the spot, eight others were injured because of electrocution. The dead were identified as Male Srinivasa Reddy, 35, of Karavadi and Pallapolu Anji Reddy, 45, of Allur. Tension prevailed at a private hospital in Kottapatnam where the injured were admitted for treatment when hundreds of locals and kin of the victims rushed to the spot. Police were forced to cane the gathering to bring the situation under control. YSR party leaders rushed the injured to RIMS hospital and a private hospital in Ongole in their own vehicles as well as in 108 ambulances when their condition turned critical. The injured have been identified as Reddypoina Subba Rao of Karavadi, Sarveypalli Venkaiah of Padarthi, Kalluri Avinash, Mandava Mallikarjuna and Nalluri Sai of Throvagunta, Ragala Polaiah of Kottapatnam, Koora Seenu of Gavandlapalem and Pallapolu Venkateswarlu of Ravur. DSP Rajanikanta Reddy, CI Bhushanam and Transco AD Anji Reddy examined the scene of the tragedy and elicited information about the incident from SI Srihari and Transco AE Naraiah. Notwithstanding the sad incident, organisers of the competition went ahead with the race and this drew sharp criticism from the public. Locals were also surprised when police cooperated to complete the proceedings. However, police stalled the event at the instance of SP Raghurami Reddy at about 9 pm on Sunday night. SI Srihari said that they had handed over the bodies to the kin of the victims.