Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Chandrababu Naidu had a narrow escape when a boat dock collapsed near Sompalli village in Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh. This incident took place on Thursday. The boat they were travelling in lost balance allegedly due to excess weight.
Former ministers Devineni Umamaheshwara Rao, Payavula Keshav, Pithani Satyanarayana, and former MLA V Sivarama Raju were among those who fell in to the Godavari river. Fishermen and security personnel pulled out the TDP leaders and some media persons to safety.
When Telugu Desam party leaders and others fell into the water, the Fishermen, and National Disaster Response Force personnel present nearby threw life jackets and other floating devices to which the Telugu Desam Party leaders held on to until they were pulled out.
The accident happened when Chandrababu Naidu, along with several TDP leaders, was visiting flood-affected villages in the Godavari region. The river saw floods last week due to heavy inflows from upstream Telangana following the incessant rains. Six districts in Godavari region were affected by floods.
When Chandrababu Naidu reached Sompalliunt, he shifted to a small boat to reach the shore along with his personal security. During the media interaction, Naidu criticized the state government for “ignoring the plight of the flood victims.”