In a tragic incident in Telangana's Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, an elderly farmer lost his life after being engulfed in flames while attempting to control a fire that spread from burning paddy stubble. The incident occurred on Saturday in Repakapalli village under Regonda mandal.
Details of the Incident
Sagarla Chandramouli, aged 62, along with his wife Bhagyamma (58) and their son Bhaskar, had gone to their farmland to burn leftover paddy stubble. According to police, the fire quickly spread to a neighboring field due to dry conditions. The intense heat caused Bhagyamma to fall ill, and the family made her sit under a tree. While Bhaskar left to fetch drinking water from home, Chandramouli moved toward the spreading flames in an effort to contain it.
However, before any help could arrive, Chandramouli became trapped in the blaze and was burnt alive, police said. Witnessing the horrifying scene, Bhagyamma collapsed near the field. Local residents rushed her to a hospital in Hanamkonda, but she could not be saved. Chandramouli was taken to the government hospital in Mahadevpur, where doctors declared him dead, according to SI Sudhakar.
Police Investigation
Police have registered a case based on a complaint lodged by family members. Preliminary findings indicate that the fire spread rapidly due to dry conditions, exacerbating the tragedy.
Similar Incidents
This is not an isolated case. On May 13, a 56-year-old farmer named Manda Ganganna was charred to death in Nirmal district while trying to control a fire that spread from burning maize stubble to his standing paddy crop. Similarly, on May 15, a 60-year-old farmer, V Rama Rao, died after becoming trapped in a sudden blaze while burning corn residue in his field in Palnadu district of Andhra Pradesh. The fire spread rapidly due to high winds and dry summer conditions.
These incidents highlight the dangers faced by farmers during stubble burning, a common practice in the region despite its risks.
