Four farmers killed, five injured as tin-roofed shed caves in on them in Mancherial

Four farmers died and six were injured after a tin-roof shed collapsed during unseasonal rains and strong winds in Mancherial district, Telangana, while they were protecting paddy, prompting calls for government relief and improved procurement and safety measures

Mancherial: In two different incidents, four farmers were killed on the spot, while five others sustained injuries when tin-roofed sheds caved in on them due to unseasonal rains coupled with gales at procurement centres at Gampalapalli and Kotthuru villages in Luxettipet mandal on Tuesday midnight.

In the first incident, Thanugula Nagaraju (50) and his son Thanugula Abhiram (22) died when a cement-brick wall of the shed collapsed on them suddenly due to unseasonal rains accompanied by gusty winds at Gampalapalli village around 1 am. They were trying to cover the grain heap with polythene sheets to protect it from being drenched at the time of the incident.

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In the second incident, Gundarapu Venkatesh (24) from Kothuru and Nelki Lachanna (50) of Muthyampet village were killed, while five farmers sustained injuries when the wall of a shed caved in on them. The injured were initially admitted to a hospital in Luxettipet and were later shifted to a hospital in Karimnagar for better treatment. Their medical condition was stated to be stable.

Venkatesh and five other farmers were taking shelter in the shed after covering the paddy heap with polythene covers following the rains. Lachanna was also standing in the shed after sending off his son. About 15 farmers from the two villages were guarding their paddy produce shifted to the two procurement centres at night. The farming community expressed shock over the tragic incident.