One more person who was injured in a stampede during a programme organised by the Telugu Desam Party in Kandukur town in Nellore district succumbed while undergoing treatment on Wednesday night, taking the toll to eight, police said on Thursday.
The victims, including two women died and eight others were injured on Wednesday after they fell in a drainage canal when the Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu was addressing a roadshow there.
People gathered in large numbers at the venue and there was some jostling among the public during the meeting, leading to a stampede-like situation at the canal, they had said based on initial information.
Some of the injured are undergoing treatment in hospital.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacting to the incident, said he was pained by the mishap and announced Rs two lakh ex-gratia to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured.
"Pained by the mishap at a public meeting in Nellore, AP. 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," PMO India said in a tweet.
Similarly, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, in a statement, expressing shock over the incident announced Rs ex-gratia of Rs two 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 families of the victims, the statement said.
"The death of TDP workers is a great loss to the party. My deepest condolences to their families. Arrangements have been made to provide better treatment for the injured.", tweeted Nara Lokesh, TDP national general secretary and Naidu's son.
"I pray for their recovery. Telugu Desam Party will support the families of the deceased in all ways," he added.
People gathered in large number at the meeting venue and there was some jostle among the public during the meeting, leading to stampede-like situation at the canal, they said based on initial information.
They said the clear picture would emerge later.
The injured are undergoing treatment in hospital.
(With PTI Inputs)
