The tragic incident during the Maha Shivaratri festival in Gundala village of Veldanda Mandal concluded with the recovery of the body of Umesh, a 17-year-old student from Munnoor Mandal in Wanaparthy district, three days after he went missing in the lake.
The tragic incident during the Maha shivaratri festival in Gundala village of Veldanda Mandal concluded with the recovery of the body of Umesh, a 17-year-old student from Munnoor Mandal in Wanaparthy district, three days after he went missing in the lake. The NDRF teams assisted in the recovery operation.
Temple Visit During Maha shivaratri – An Unforeseen Accident On February 26, during the Maha shivaratri festival, a group of students from Jayaprakash Nagar Gurukula School visited the Sri Amba Ramalingeshwara Swamy temple in Gundala. After the temple visit, some students went to take a dip in the lake. Unfortunately, Umesh went missing in the water. Despite immediate efforts by his fellow students and locals, they were unable to save him.
Upon learning of the incident, the police and fire department started search operations. When the body could not be found, NDRF teams were called in to assist. After three days of continuous search operations, the NDRF teams finally recovered the body using a heavy crane this morning. Umesh’s father Ramulu and other family members were inconsolable when the body was found.
Local Outrage – Demand for Justice for the Family
The incident sparked anger among the locals, who demanded action against the Gurukula school staff for neglecting student safety and called for immediate justice for Umesh’s family. The villagers, public representatives, and local leaders demanded ₹1 crore compensation, a government job for a family member, and the allocation of 3 acres of land to Umesh’s family.
Protest Until Assurance from Officials The villagers submitted a memorandum to the Veldanda in-charge MRO, stating that they would not move the body to the Kalwakurthy Government Hospital until a clear assurance was given by the officials. Following this, the authorities and public representatives assured the affected family of justice, leading to the villagers ending their protest. The body was then sent to the Kalwakurthy Government Hospital for post-mortem.
Public Concern Over Student Safety
The incident has caused deep sorrow in the village. People are calling for stricter measures for student safety, improved supervision in government hostels, and stricter regulations for student excursions by school management. The locals and the family of the deceased urged the government to take more care for student safety and to implement measures to prevent such incidents from recurring.