Former Andhra Pradesh Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao passed away on Monday after he was admitted to the Basavatarakam Indo American Cancer Hospital & Research Institute in Hyderabad. Speaking to TNM, Banjara Hills ACP K Srinivasa Rao said that it was too early to divulge any details related to the case. "We are investigating what happened. Further details will be revealed soon,” he said. According to initial reports, he reportedly attempted to kill himself and died in the hospital. The hospital has however not divulged any details.
"As per what we saw, there were injury marks on his neck. However, the true cause of the death will be revealed after the police conducts an autopsy," TDP Telangana President L Ramana told TNM.
Kodela Siva Prasada Rao was born in Kandlagunta in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district. After completing his MBBS from Guntur Medical College, he went on to pursue a postgraduate degree (masters’) in general surgery. He entered politics in 1983 after being inspired by Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao.
A senior leader from the TDP, Kodela was a 6-time MLA and served as a minister in the cabinets of TDP founder NT Rama Rao and present party chief N Chandrababu Naidu.
The senior Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and former legislator from Sattenapalli, was in the news last month, after he admitted that he had shifted expensive furniture from the premises of the old state Assembly building in Hyderabad, to his residence-cum-office in Guntur district. Andhra Pradesh Assembly Section Officer Eshwar Rao had filed a complaint with the Thullur Circle Inspector, about the 'missing' furniture, following which Kodela Siva Prasada had been booked under IPC section 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant) and section 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property).
Following this, Assembly officials had searched a motorbike showroom belonging to Rao’s family and reportedly identified and recovered furniture.
In April, when polls were held in the state, Kodela Siva Prasada Rao and his gunman were allegedly heckled by YSRCP cadres at a polling booth in his constituency. While he alleged that YSRCP men attacked him, Jagan Mohan Reddy accused him of trying to capture the booth.
During his tenure as Health Minister, he was instrumental in starting the Basavatarakam Indo American Cancer Institute at Hyderabad, a hospital set up under a trust by former Chief Minister NT Rama Rao, who had lost his wife to cancer.
In 2014, after Naidu came to power, he was appointed as the first Speaker of residual Andhra Pradesh.
A statement from the Telangana Chief Minister’s office said, "Chief Minister KCR expressed shock over the death of former Andhra Pradesh Speaker Kodela Sivaprasad. He expressed deep sympathy to his family. He prayed to the Lord to bring peace to his soul."
"I extend heartfelt condolences on the unfortunate demise of this senior politician. May his soul rest in peace," K Krishna Saagar Rao, Chief Spokesperson, BJP Telangana, said in a statement.
If you or anyone you know is feeling depressed or suicidal, consider reaching out to one of the following helplines:
Telangana:
Telangana government suicide prevention toll free number - 104
Roshni- 040-66202000, 66202001
SEVA- 09441778290, 040 - 27504682 (between 9 AM and 7 PM)
Andhra Pradesh:
Life Suicide Prevention Helpline No.78930-78930
Roshni -
Helpline 1: 9166202000
Helpline 2: 9127848584
Karnataka:
Sahai : 24-hour helpline numbers: 080- 65000111, 080-65000222
Kerala:
Maithri helpline - 0484-2540530
Chaithram helpline: 0484-2361161
Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.
Tamil Nadu:
State health department suicide helpline number - 104
Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050