As Konaseema Mourns, TDP Celebrates in Kadapa: Mahanadu Overshadows Public Responsibility
27 May, 2025 12:13 IST|Sakshi Post
Illegal excavation of sand blamed for death of teenagers
SDRF personnel deployed late in the evening, delaying rescue operations
A devastating tragedy unfolded in Konaseema district on Monday as eight teenagers, all aged between 14 and 18, went missing in the Godavari River. By Tuesday morning, four bodies had been recovered, while the search continues for the remaining four. Even as Konaseema mourns, over 500 km away in Kadapa, the TDP government continued with its grand celebrations at the Mahanadu annual plenary, seemingly untouched by the unfolding human tragedy.
Polisetti Abhishek, a local youth, had invited 11 friends to his village to attend his sister’s half-saree ceremony. A celebratory swim in the river turned catastrophic, shattering the lives of multiple families in an instant.
As rescue operations stretch into the second day, disturbing details have emerged — most notably, allegations of official negligence. Grieving families claim that State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel were deployed only in the evening, hours after the incident was first reported in the afternoon. With nightfall, rescue operations had to be suspended, leaving parents to endure the agony of uncertainty through the night.
Locals expressed shock and anger, stating that the Vruddha Gowthami branch, where the teens drowned, typically has a depth of just 4–5 feet. However, unchecked illegal sand excavation, they say, has dangerously deepened the riverbed to 20 feet in some areas. This sudden drop in depth may have disoriented the teenagers, many of whom were unfamiliar with the terrain, resulting in the fatal outcome.
YSRCP Konaseema coordinator Sathish echoed these concerns, stating that illegal and rampant sand mining is the primary cause behind the tragic deaths. “This is not even a notified sand reach. Yet sand is being illegally extracted here. The riverbed has changed drastically, and outsiders are unaware of these hazardous conditions,” he said. He demanded that the TDP government launch an immediate and transparent probe into the issue.
The incident has reignited public anger over the TDP government’s priorities and response to crises. Just last month, during the Chandanotsavam at the Narasimha Swamy temple in Simhachalam, seven people lost their lives in a wall collapse. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, and IT Minister Nara Lokesh quickly announced ex gratia payments — but failed to meet the grieving families, prioritizing instead the re-launch of the Amaravati capital works.
Now, even as families in Konaseema wait helplessly by the riverbanks, the same leaders are seen smiling on stage at Mahanadu. Once again, political spectacle has taken precedence over public responsibility.
