Hyderabad: What was meant to be a joyful outing to the Godavari river ended in unspeakable tragedy on Saturday evening, as six teenagers drowned at Medigadda barrage in Bhupalpally district while taking selfies and reels. Their bodies were recovered by rescue teams on Sunday afternoon, bringing grief and shock to five families.
The victims – Patti Madhusudhan (18), his brother Patti Shiva Manoj (15), Thogari Rakshit (13), Karnala Sagar (16), Bolladla Ram Charan (17), and Pasula Rahul (19) – had gathered at the home of Golukonda Mallayya in Ambatpalli village on June 5 to attend a family function. At the request of the children, their guardian, Patti Venkataswamy, took them to Medigadda for a swim on Saturday. His two sons were among the group.
Despite repeated warnings from Venkataswamy about the water’s dangerous currents, the youths waded in, eager to click selfies and record short videos. In an instant, one after another began to struggle in the water’s pull. Venkataswamy’s desperate attempts to rescue them failed; helpless, he watched as his two sons and four relatives vanished beneath the river. Stunned and broken, he ran to alert the others on the shore.
Local police, led by Kataram DSP Rammohan Reddy, swiftly deployed rescue teams, including Singareni’s rescue unit, but initial efforts yielded no trace of the missing youths. On Sunday, search operations resumed and by midday all six bodies had been retrieved and sent to Mahadevpur government hospital for post-mortem examination.
The tragedy unfolded around 5.30 pm on Saturday, shortly after the group reached the river in an auto-rickshaw from Ambatpalli. Witnesses said Madhusudhan was the first to enter the water, but quickly found himself in trouble. His brother Shiva Manoj dived in to help, only to be overwhelmed himself. One by one, four more followed, determined to help but equally unprepared for the river’s force.
Four of the victims hailed from Ambatpalli, while two were from Korlakunta village, relatives confirmed. Venkataswamy, who had parked his vehicle close to the riverbank, was left inconsolable as he watched his own sons disappear before his eyes.
The incident sent shockwaves through both villages, with grieving families gathering to mourn their loss. Mahadevpur government hospital staff conducted post-mortems on Sunday afternoon and handed over the bodies to the families.
Former Manthani MLA Puttam Madhu blamed the government for the tragedy, demanding compensation and accountability. Later that evening, Minister Sridhar Babu visited Ambatpalli to console the grieving families. He announced an ex gratia of ₹1 lakh each and assured them of housing under the Indiramma scheme.
Medical officials warned that reckless behaviour near water bodies could have devastating consequences, urging parents and guardians to exercise caution. As the community tries to come to terms with the loss, the tragedy stands as a stark reminder of how a moment’s thrill can turn into an irreparable loss.