At least 10 people were injured when honey bees stung them during YSR Congress party chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s padayatra in Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari district on Thursday.
The incident occurred when he along with a large number of his supporters were walking through Kanuru Crossroads as part of his ongoing state-wide Praja Sankalpa Yatra to know people’s problems.
Jagan, as the leader is popularly known, was unhurt as his security personnel and close aides used handkerchiefs, scarves and even party flags to keep the bees away. He, however, kept walking while occasionally using his hands to protect himself. The security personnel escorted him to safety. The padayatra later resumed.
According to eyewitnesses, a large number of bees suddenly attacked the ‘padayatris’ near Kanuru.
The injured were shifted to a hospital for treatment.
Watch the video below.
A swarm of bees attacked the #PrajaSankalpaYatra of #YSRCP chief, #YSJagan, at Nidadavolu in West Godavari dist. Fortunately #Jagan escaped unhurt,but aleast 10 of his supporters shifted to hospital after they were stung by bees. #AndhraPradesh pic.twitter.com/BPwWFAyfEW
— Aashish (@Ashi_IndiaToday) June 7, 2018
Jagan launched his six-month-long padayatra or foot march in November last year, virtually kicking off his campaign for the 2019 Assembly elections. He said that he would cover 3,000 km across all 13 districts of the state to interact with the people and know their problems.
The Leader of Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly has covered over 2,200 km as part of his padayatra and is scheduled to walk another 800 km before the walkathon concludes in Srikakulam district.
Jagan began the foot march after paying tributes at the grave of his father and late Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy at Idupulapaya in YSR Kadapa district.
Alleging that the state has a “mafia government”, he called upon people to uproot it. Stating that he is not afraid of court cases, the young leader said he had no hunger for money. “Even if I die, I want to remain in your hearts,” he said amid loud cheers from the crowd.
Jagan hopes to recreate the magic of his late father YSR, who had launched a similar padayatra to end the nearly decade-long rule of Chandrababu Naidu in undivided Andhra Pradesh in 2004.
With IANS inputs