The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : TDP MLA attempts suicide over delay in film release

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 23, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

TDP MLA attempts suicide over delay in film release

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: Agitated over his latest film, `Narasimhudu' not getting a simultaneous release in the State, the Telugu Desam MLA and film producer, Changala Venkat Rao, attempted suicide by jumping into Hussainsagar here on Sunday.

He was rescued by an alert Lake Police team and shifted to Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences where he is recovering. The Ramgopalpet police booked a case under Section 309 of IPC against the MLA.

Mr. Venkat Rao (36) along with his elder brother, Harinath, was travelling in a Qualis and stopped it near Tripuraneni Ramaswamy statue on Tank Bund at around 10.30 a.m. He had started from Ramanaidu Studios after monitoring copies of his new film starring Junior NTR, release of which had run into trouble due to disputes with distributors and exhibitors, all through Saturday night.

"He got down from the vehicle saying he would answer nature's call and jumped into the lake," the Ramgopalpet Inspector, M. Srinivasa Rao, said.

Even as his brother watched in horror, a home guard of the Lake Police, A. Suresh, dived into the lake. "By the time I managed to get hold of Rao, he was struggling to keep afloat," Suresh told the The Hindu .

Two traffic constables who reached the spot, dropped a rope into the waters. The home guard then pulled out the producer with the help of the traffic constables.

Speaking to reporters later, Mr. Venkat Rao said he was agitated over the film not being released all over the State simultaneously.

"I wanted to see the film exhibited in my native district of Visakhapatnam. With my suicide attempt bringing disgrace to my party, I wish to resign from the party as well as the Assembly," he said.

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