3 Dead in stampede at Chandrababu Naidu's programme in Andhra Pradesh

In a similar inicident, at least eight people were killed and five others sustained injuries on Wednesday in a stampede Chandrababu Naidu's roadshow at the Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh.

Hyderabad, Jan 01: Three people have died in stampede at a rally of Telugu Desam Party president and former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh.

"Three people died and several were injured during a public meeting held by TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu in Guntur district," news agency ANI reported quoting Arif Hafeez, superintendent of police, Guntur.

According to police, as soon as the organisers started distributing gifts, including sarees, the crowd swelled and they pushed the barricades away leading to a stampede. The gift distribution began after TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu left the venue upon addressing the public meeting at Guntur, about 33 km from here.

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock over the stampede in Guntur and directed officials to provide all possible medical assistance to the injured. The chief minister also instructed the officials to ensure quality medicare to those injured.

According to local reports, a large number of women came to the program because of the campaigning by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders for past ten days.

This is the second incident in a span of four days when people lost their lives at Naidu's rally across the state in preparation for the 2024 assembly elections.

Seven persons, including a woman, died and eight others were injured on December 28 after they fell in a drainage canal in Kandukur town in Nellore district, the police said.

The mishap happened when Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu, former Andhra Pradesh CM, was addressing a roadshow there. People gathered in large number at the meeting venue and there was some jostle among the public during the meeting, leading to stampede-like situation at the canal, they said based on initial information. They said the clear picture would emerge later.

Naidu who immediately cancelled the meeting announced Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased. He also asked the party leaders to ensure better medical care to the injured.