Contractor drowns in a side drain at Kothagudem’s Paloncha

The deceased K Venkateshwarlu (50) was said to have consumed liquor with his friends in a wine shop near Nava Bharat. He returned home on foot and fell in a drain which was overflowing as it rained in the night.

Kothagudem: Alleged negligence of Paloncha municipal officials has cost the life of a contractor, who drowned in a side drain at Nava Bharat area in Paloncha town in the district during late night hours on Thursday.

The deceased K Venkateshwarlu (50) was said to have consumed liquor with his friends in a wine shop near Nava Bharat. He returned home on foot and fell in a drain which was overflowing as it rained in the night.

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Since he was under the influence of alcohol he could not pull himself out of the drain immediately. He got washed away in the drain and died. His friends, who noticed him falling into the drain, started searching for him and found his body at a distance from where he fell down.

Venkateshwarlu’s body was shifted to Paloncha Community Health Centre. The family members lodged a complaint with the local police expressing doubts about his death and seeking a detailed probe into the incident.

According to the locals the municipal workers broke open a slab on the side drain some time back to remove a dead cow trapped inside the train after traders complained about foul smell from the decomposed cow.

However, the municipal workers did not lay the slab on the drain and left it open. It was said the traders had gathered some money and gave it to municipal staff to cover the drain with a concrete slab, but the works were not taken up immediately, leading to the death of the contractor.