Municipal engineer dies of heart attack while being quizzed by TDP leaders, YSRCP seeks judicial inquiry
YSRCP state coordinator Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident, blaming the “rude and arrogant behaviour” of TDP leaders for the employee’s death.
Andhra Pradesh’s Opposition party, the YSRCP, has demanded a judicial inquiry into the death of a Visakhapatnam municipal superintendent engineer who allegedly collapsed after being questioned by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders at a review meeting Thursday.
C Govinda Rao, a municipal superintendent engineer with the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), was allegedly being questioned by Swachh Andhra Corporation Managing Director K Pattabhiram and TDP state president and Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao at Gajuwaka in Visakhapatnam on sanitation issues and the maintenance of a garbage transfer centre when he suffered a heart attack and collapsed. He was rushed to a hospital, where he died during treatment.
YSRCP state coordinator Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident, blaming the “rude and arrogant behaviour” of TDP leaders for the employee’s death.
YSRCP Employees and Pensioners Division president Nalamaru Chandrasekhar alleged that Pattabhiram questioned Rao but did not allow him to respond. “The TDP leader did not listen to what Rao was saying. He did not let him explain. He cut him off continuously and humiliated him in front of everyone with his rude and arrogant behaviour,” he claimed. “The two TDP leaders created a very hostile and dangerous situation causing Rao to suffer a heart attack and die.”
Chandrasekhar further alleged that Pattabhiram refused to accept the officer’s answers, adding that “his highhandedness” led to Rao’s death.
“There was no need for Pattabhi to hold a review meeting and he behaved rudely even while he was explaining the issues raised. The erring TDP leader should be sacked immediately and action should be taken against him for being responsible for the death of Govinda Rao,” he said.
He also claimed that inaction against Srisailam TDP MLA Budda Rajasekhar Reddy, who allegedly roughed up forest officials at a forest check post last September, had emboldened attacks on government officials.
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Reddy was accused of assaulting officials who had allegedly stopped him from using forest roads at night. The incident led to protests by forest officials and the registration of an FIR.
The TDP leaders are yet to comment on the development.
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
Expertise and Experience
Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues:
High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.
Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.
Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.
Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More
