An auto driver, Kadiri Appanna (47), reportedly died after falling in an open drain at Vambay Colony on the city outskirts.
According to the locals, the sanitation workers noticed the body in the drainage and alerted the Sachivalayam staff. The Nunna police rushed to the spot, retrieved and shifted the body to the Government General Hospital (GGH) mortuary.
Following a complaint lodged by the victim’s wife, K. Kantamma, a case under Section 174 CrPc (Suspicious death) has been registered, the Nunna police said.
CPI (M) State Secretariat Member, Ch. Babu Rao, who visited the spot enquired about the incident. He expressed condolences to the bereaved family members.
Arrange grill
Mr. Babu Rao blamed the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) officials for not covering the drainage which caused the mishap, and demanded to arrange an iron grill to prevent accidents.
The CPI (M) leader demanded the government to extend ₹10 lakh compensation to Appanna’s family members.
“The drainage is about four feet wide and 10 feet in depth. A private school is located nearby. How the VMC officials can keep the drain uncovered,” Mr. Babu Rao questioned and demanded the corporation officials to cover the drain immediately and give protection to the locals.
Residents in panic
Though a couple of such accidents occurred in Vijayawada in the last one year, the VMC officers were not taking any steps to cover the drainages and prevent the mishaps, Mr. Babu Rao alleged.
“Some hundreds of people will cross the drainage every day through a small ramp arranged on it. Children residing in the nearby houses of Vambay Colony have to cross the drain to go to school. We request the corporation officers to arrange a bridge and close the drain with a metal grill near the houses,” said a local woman, V. Radha.
“The outfall of the drainage was just near by the school. Residents were staying with constant much fear in the colony due to the open drainage,” said a resident, Ch. Kumar.
