Pleasure trip turns tragic for Warangalites

Warangal: A pleasure trip to Papikondalu turned tragic for a group of tourists from Kadipikonda, a suburban village, when the launch in which they were travelling was capsized in Gouthami river near Kachuluru of Devipatnam mandal in East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday.

According to reports, the 14-member contingent left for Rajahmundry by Godavari Express train on Friday (September 13) for sightseeing. Of the 14, nine of them were reportedly missing. The names of those survived are... Darsanala Suresh (29), Basike Dasaradham (52), Basike Venkata Swamy (60), Gorre Prabhakar (47) and Arapalli Yadagiri (42).

The names of missing persons: CV Venkata Swamy (62), Basike Rajendraprasad (50), K Rajkumar (40), Basike Dharmaraju (42), G Sunil (40), Kommula Ravi (43), Basike Rajender (58), Basike Avinash (17) and Gorre Rajender (55).

Rajani, who reportedly lost her father Basike Rajender, a painting worker, said: "My father who called us this morning told us that he was going to Papikondalu on a launch. He told us to call after the trip.

It was a shock for us when we learnt about the boat tragedy." Basike Kavitha Rani who reportedly lost her 17-year-old son Avinash said that her son spoke to her before boarding the launch. He also said that he will not be able to call her during the trip as there would not be mobile network.

Since her husband Tirupathi died in 2013, she has been raising her two sons by working as a domestic help. Ramadevi, wife of Gorre Rajender, was speechless and was inconsolable. Meanwhile, Warangal Urban District Collector Prashanth Jeevan Patil has been in touch with the East Godavari district administration.

Patil has dispatched a team of revenue officials to Kakinada besides sending six ambulances. Warangal district administration is also coordinating with the relatives of the victims.

Ministers Errabelli Dayakar Rao and Satyavathi Rathod, Government Chief Whip D Vinay Bhaskar and MLC Pochamaplli Srinivas Reddy expressed shock over the incident. They assured of their support to the victims' families.