Three persons had a close shave on Sunday in a blast that took place at Turkabankerpally in Toguta mandal on Sunday, when they escaped with injuries. Turkabankerpally is one of the tribal hamlets of Vemulaghat that would get submerged under Mallannasagar.
Eighty-year-old P. Balamallu had died three days ago and his third-day ceremony was being performed on Sunday under a tent. The ritual was almost complete and the mourners were getting ready to disperse when all of a sudden the blast took place in the rocks adjacent to the tent and huge boulders thrown into the air due to the impact fell on the tent. Thankfully, many escaped being hurt, expect for three persons who were identified as E. Kanakaiah, B Gopal and P. Babu. Another person P. Lingam remained unscathed.
Majority of the villagers have already vacated the place except for five families who are waging a legal fight for right compensation and the court case is still on.
“Turkabanjerpally has a population of about 200 people with about 60 houses. Except five households all the other residents have vacated. We are waging a fight in the court and that is why we have not vacated. The blast took place near our houses resulting in the injuries. Balamallu who passed away was one among the earliest inhabitants of the village who arrived here about six decades ago along with his three brothers. With his demise a generation linked to the past has been completely lost. He died of heartbreak ruing the fate of the village and its submergence,” Mr. Lingam told The Hindu .
Wall collapse
In another incident, the wall of a newly constructed house at Rehabilitation and Resettlement Colony at Mutrajpally in Gajwel mandal collapsed on Sunday evening. It was a parapet wall linking the steps and the compound fell down like a pack of cards and the video went viral on social media.
