Andhra CM announces ex-gratia for stampede victims

Amaravati, Dec 29: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday expressed shock over the stampede at Kandukur town in which eight persons died and some others injured.

The chief minister, who is on an official visit to New Delhi, expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the injured.

He instructed the officials to extend necessary support to the victims' families.

Eight persons, including two women, lost their lives in the stampede on Wednesday night during a road show by former chief minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu at Kundukur town in Nellore district.

Five persons were also injured in the tragedy which occurred when a large number of people surged forward to catch a glimpse of the leader of the opposition and fell into a drain.

Chandrababu Naidu last night announced Rs 10 lakh each as ex-gratia to the kin of the deceased. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday morning announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased.

He tweeted that he was pained by the mishap at a public meeting in Nellore. "Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased and the injured would be given Rs. 50,000," reads the tweet.