Shoppers and motorists on the busy Besant Road were terrified by the followers of MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao as Ugadi celebrations went wrong on Sunday.
Disturbing what could be a pleasant evening at the shopping destination, over 50 TDP workers, mostly youth, barged onto the road and lit a long cracker garland and a multi-shot rocket cracker amidst cars, motorcycles and hundreds of pedestrians moving in the area. None of the activists alerted the motorists who were proceeding on the road. There was no sight of police.
Unaware of what was happening, the cars moved forward and got caught in the middle of bursting fireworks. Unable to bear the impact of crackers, a woman in a car tried to escape but in vain. “The incident was terrifying. We were worried about our stocks catching fire as sparks kept flying in all directions. There were over 50 party workers,” said a shopkeeper.
People protest
One of the local leaders approached the people in the car and tried to pacify them, as one of them protested the bursting of crackers on the busy road.
Mr. Umamaheswara Rao, who was also at the spot, briefly spoke to the car owner and told him that he had warned the activists to be careful. Mr. Rao extended an apology and left the spot.
The entire incident created panic among the shoppers. The celebrations were hosted by local leaders B. Rammohan Rao and P. Rajesh.
