Hyderabad: BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao expressed deep anguish over the massive fire accident at the Kondagattu Abhayanjaneya Swamy temple premises in Jagtial district. He blamed government negligence for the property loss and demanded ₹30 lakh in compensation for each affected family.
KTR spoke over the phone with former Choppadandi MLA Sunketa Ravi Shankar to gather first-hand details of the damage. He said nearly 30 families, mostly from poor and middle-class backgrounds, lost their only source of income in the blaze.
Government failed to act, says KTR after Kondagattu temple fire
Calling the incident unfortunate, KTR said the families had set up shops near the temple by taking loans and working hard. He noted that all goods, idols, and inventory were completely destroyed, resulting in estimated losses of nearly ₹1 crore.
He strongly criticised the delayed fire response. Jagtial’s fire engine was under repair, and one engine that arrived initially did not function. Additional engines came an hour later from Korutla and Karimnagar. “The scale of loss would have been smaller if the fire response had been timely,” he said.
KTR called the delayed response a failure of the state administration and held the government directly responsible. He urged the government to provide immediate financial support to the affected families. “The businesses have been reduced to rubble. The government must act with a humanitarian approach,” he said.
He demanded ₹30 lakh compensation per family, considering the total loss and the scale of destruction. KTR also praised ex-MLA Ravi Shankar for reaching the site quickly, participating in relief efforts, and distributing ₹5,000 in immediate aid to victims.
He assured the affected families that the BRS party would stand by them. “If the state fails to compensate them fairly, we will build pressure on the government,” KTR warned.