The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Close shave for Hanamkonda MP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Close shave for Hanamkonda MP

Staff Reporter

Vinod Kumar and a few others escape with minor injuries when Ponnala Lakshmaiah tries his hand at the poclain whose swing swerves to the right catching those inside the cabin off guard

RUNNING FOR LIFE: B. Vinod Kumar, MP, and others running for safety after he fell down from a poclain at Dharmasagar mandal headquarters in Warangal on Monday.

WARANGAL: The Hanamkonda MP of the TRS, B. Vinod Kumar, had a miraculous escape when he accidentally fell down from a moving poclain at Dharmasagar mandal headquarters on Monday.

At the launch of reservoir work as part of Godavari lift irrigation scheme, the Major Irrigation Minister, Ponnala Lakshmaiah, got onto the poclain to pose for photographs. While he settled in the driver's seat, many others - the Civil Supplies Minister, K. Vijayarama Rao, the Municipal Commissioner, Neetu Prasad, a contractor, two Congress activists -- also got onto the poclain.

Mr. Vinod Kumar perched himself on the footrest below the driver's cabin. Mr. Lakshmaiah wanted to try his hand at the machine, but suddenly the poclain gave a jerk as he pressed a wrong button. While those in the cabin got scared, Mr. Vinod Kumar and others fell down. The MP suffered minor bruises.

Even before they could realise, the swing of the poclain suddenly moved towards right side as the Minister tried to control it and pressed another lever.

Running for safety

Hundreds of people who gathered there ran helter-skelter while Mr. Vinod Kumar and others, too, ran for safety.

"Had the swing moved towards the left, those on the ground would have lost their lives. A major mishap has been averted," an official of the Irrigation Department said.

The contractor, K. Sudarshan Reddy and the Congress activists of Station Ghanpur sustained minor injuries.

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