The unfortunate death of 70-year-old man Cheeli Singaiah after he was allegedly run over by the car of YSR Congress party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy during his tour to Rentapala village of Palnadu district on June 18 has led to ugly politics.
It has also triggered a debate in the political circles as to who is at fault – whether Jagan or his over-enthusiastic party workers or the police who miserably failed to maintain the order during his tour.
Though Jagan is not directly responsible for the crushing of Singaiah under the wheels of his car, the Guntur district police named him accused No. 2 (A-2) in the case.
In fact, even his car driver Ramana Reddy might not have done the accident intentionally, but since he was at the wheels, the police made him A-1.
The police also fixed Jagan’s personal assistant K Nageshwar Reddy and surprisingly two other former ministers – Perni Nani and Vidadala Rajini, who were no way connected with the incident, which happened at Etukuru bypass road under Nallapadu police station limits.
Apart from Ramana Reddy, the police are also questioning the security personnel of Jagan, including his chief security officer, to find out what exactly happened on that day.
The TDP is making every attempt to gain political mileage out of the incident. State home minister Vangalapudi Anitha said the state government had provided Z+ security cover to Jagan Mohan Reddy during his Palnadu tour but gave him permission only for four cars in total from Tadepalli to Sattenapalli.
“But Jagan completely violated the restrictions and went ahead with a huge road show with over 100 cars in the convoy. Moreover, only 100 people were permitted to be in the entourage, but the YSRCP mobilised thousands of people again in violation of the police approval,” she said.
She even alleged that when Singaiah came under the wheels of his car, the party workers dragged him away and thrown him in the bushes in an inhuman manner.
“The video evidence also clearly indicates that several people were asking the driver and passengers to stop vehicle, which was disregarded. It clearly shows lack of sensitivity after the tragic accident occurred,” she said.
Jagan tried to turn tables on the Chandrababu Naidu government saying it was playing vendetta politics, instead of admitting its failure of ensuring adequate police security for his tour.
He alleged that the police had imposed deliberate restrictions during his tour to Palnadu.
“Arranging Z+ security for a former chief minister was not a favour but a protocol-based right, just as it was applied to Chandrababu Naidu in the past. Despite giving prior intimation about my tour, the state government failed to provide the necessary security arrangements,” he alleged.
He questioned why there were no pilot vehicles or rope parties deployed during his visit, which are part of the standard Z+ security protocol.
“If the security arrangements were in place, how could anyone have come under the vehicle?” he asked.
He referred to the SP’s initial statement on the incident, asking why the narrative was later changed and politicised.
He accused the ruling coalition of using this tragic incident as a distraction from their governance failures.
