Amaravati (PTI): One more person who was injured in a stampede during a programme organised by the TDP 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.

Naidu, who immediately cancelled the meeting, announced Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased. He also visited the hospital where the injured were being treated.

He also asked the TDP leaders to ensure better medical care to the injured.

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," he tweeted.

 

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Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.

AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.

“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.

He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.

“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.

According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.

In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.

AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.