BIG STAMPEDE at Chandrababu Naidu New Year Rally, 3 dead

Three people have died in second within-a-week stampede at TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu's programme in Andhra Pradesh. This is second such incident in a week as 8 people had died recently in a stampede in Nellore during a public meet by the leader. "Three people died and several were injured during a public meeting held by TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu in Guntur district," Arif Hafeez, SP Guntur, told news agency ANI today.

Eight people, including two women, were killed in the stampede during Naidu`s road show in Kundukur town of Nellore district on December 28.

Sunday`s stampede occured when the TDP was distributing Sankranti gifts in the name of NTR Janata Vastralu and Chandranna Kanuka among poor in association with a voluntary organisation.

A large number of women had queued up to receive the gifts. Some of the women broke the queue and tried to surge forward resulting in the stampede.

A woman died on the spot while two others succumbed at Government General Hospital.

Senior police officials visited the spot. An officer said the programme was suspended soon after the stampede.

TDP leaders said the kits would be delivered at the houses of the beneficiaries who were issued tokens.

On December 28, eight persons including two women died and five others injured when they fell in a drain due to stampede during the TDP chief`s road show in Kundukur town.

The TDP had announced Rs 24 lakh ex-gratia each to the families of the deceased while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had declared ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each.