VISAKHAPATNAM: A pall of gloom descended on Ramalakshmi Colony, near KGH, on hearing the news of boat capsize in Godavari river as five members of a family of the colony were reported missing. A large number of people gathered at the house of Madhupada Ramana Babu.
Ramana Babu along with his family members from Ramalakshmi Colony, Arilova and Anakapalle, left for Rajahmundry on Sunday morning as part of their plan to visit Papikondalu. They boarded the ill-fated boat at Rajahmundry.
Ramana Babu, who was an auto driver, used to visit different places every year along with his family members, his neighbour said. However, their latest trip to Papikondalu was being postponed for the past three months, which they managed to go this fateful Sunday.
Other family members of Ramana Babu postponed their trip to next month while about 11 members of his family, including him, set out on the trip. All the other family members are women and children except Ramana Babu.
Fortunately, one among the 11 members, Bosala Lakshmi of Anakapalle, was reported safe and same was confirmed by Ramakrishna, Ramana Babu’s nephew. Ramakrishna identified Lakshmi among the rescued passengers of the boat on television, who are now being treated at a hospital. Family members of Ramana Babu left for the accident spot.
DRO M Sridevi visited the command control room at the Collectorate and enquired about the victims of the boat capsize. M Aruna Kumari, Akhilesh, Kushali and Pushpa from Ramalakshmi Colony, and Sushmita, Poorna, Daliamma and T Appala Narasamma from Arilova are reported missing in the boat capsize.
12 from Visakhapatnam go missing in mishap
Twelve people from Visakhapatnam district are reported missing following the boat capsize in Godavari river at Katchuluru village in Devipatnam mandal of East Godavari district on Sunday. B Lakshmi, wife of Tata Rao from Gopalapuram in Anakapalle mandal, survived.
List of missing people: M Ramana (35), M Aruna Kumari (26), M Akhilesh (7) and M Kushal (5) from Ramalakshmi Colony in Maharanipeta, T Appalanarasamma (50), T Geetha Vaishnavi (4) and T Ananya (2) of Durga Bazar at Arilova, Bonda Lakshmi (37) and Bonda Papa (13) from Vepagunta in Pendurti mandal, Dalamma (43), B Poorna (20) and B Suseela (2)