5 farm hands drown in Kinnerasani

BHADRACHALAM: Five farm workers drowned while trying to cross an overflowing Kinnerasani river on Thursday morning. According to information, eight farm workers including seven women of Sompelle village tried to cross the river on a bullock cart in order to attend to paddy sowing operations on the other side of the river.Due to the heavy current, the cart overturned, pushing all its occupants into the water. Five people, identified as Tokala Yerraiah (40), his wife Vijaya (35), Bangi Ramana (26), Kunuku Rajani (20) and Bangi Nagamani (40), all related to each other, were washed away. However, a pump operator Muttaiah who noticed the mishap, rescued Tokala Anita, Kunuku Rambai and another woman. Meanwhile, a pall of gloom descended on Sompelle village when they received the news of the five deaths.The villagers said they used to cross the river daily on foot or by bullock cart but had never witnessed such a mishap in the last 40 years. It is said that the villagers had stopped crossing the river for the past one week due to the river being in spate.