Latest news with #PillaUmamaheswaraRao
Hans India
01-05-2025
- Hans India
4 members belonging to same family died at Simhachalam
Visakhapatnam: In the most unfortunate wall collapse incident that occurred at Simhachalam Devasthanam on Chandanotsavam day, four of the same family members died in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. Pilla Umamaheswara Rao (30) and his wife Pilla Sailaja (30) along with her mother P Venkataratnam and aunt G Mahalakshmi died in the incident when they were waiting for the Nijarupa darshan at Rs.300 ticket queue line. Both Umamaheswara and Sailaja were residents of Madhurawada and working in a software company based in Hyderabad. The rest of the family members were inconsolable as they lost four members of their family in the tragic incident. Both Umamaheswara Rao and Sailaja opted for work from home. They got married three years back. The bodies of the deceased were shifted to King George Hospital for the postmortem. The family members of Pilla alleged that they lost their kin because of the negligence of the festival organisation and lack of safe arrangements. The kin of the other three persons who died at Simhachalam also expressed ire that the government neglected in taking proper security measures for the festival. They expressed concern over the construction of a brick wall instead of a concrete wall which was given away after the rainfall. They demanded that the postmortem of the deceased could not be proceeded until justice was meted out to the families at KGH. Following which, Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha convinced the family members of the deceased and assured that justice would be meted out to them.
India Today
30-04-2025
- India Today
Techie couple among eight killed in Andhra Simhachalam temple wall collapse
A young couple from Visakhapatnam and two residents of Ambedkar Konaseema district were among the eight people who lost their lives in a wall collapse near the Simhachalam temple in Andhra Pradesh early Wednesday of the deceased were identified as 30-year-old Pilla Umamaheswara Rao and his 26-year-old wife Shailaja, residents of Chandrampalem near Madhurawada in Visakhapatnam. Both were software engineers working remotely for companies based in Hyderabad. The couple, who had been married for three years, had queued up around 2 am for the Rs 300 special darshan when the wall gave way, killing them described Umamaheswara and Shailaja as warm, friendly and full of promise. In the same incident, two men from Ambedkar Konaseema district also lost their lives. The victims were identified as 26-year-old Kumpatla Manikanta Easwara Sesha Rao and 33-year-old Patti Durgaswamy Naidu, both residents of Korlapati Varipalem in Ambajipet. They were among the many devotees who had gathered for the Simhadri Appanna Chandanotsavam when the structure least eight people died, and several others were injured, after a cement wall on the temple premises collapsed — reportedly due to heavy rainfall. The incident, which took place during the annual Chandanotsavam celebrations, plunged multiple families into mourning and cast a shadow over what is typically a joyous religious gathering. Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the incident and assess the structural safety of the temple IN THIS STORY#Andhra Pradesh
Time of India
30-04-2025
- General
- Time of India
Techie couple among 7 killed as wall collapses at Andhra Pradesh temple during festival
VISAKHAPATNAM: A techie couple were among seven devotees killed after a newly constructed wall collapsed at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Simhachalam during the annual Chandanotsavam festival on Wednesday. The deceased software employees, Pilla Umamaheswara Rao (30) and his wife P Sailaja, were based in Hyderabad and had been working remotely from home. The incident occurred following a 40-minute spell of heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds. Officials confirmed that the incident happened around 3am when a newly constructed 25-foot-long wall gave way, burying devotees who had queued for the Nijaroopa Darshanam of Lord Varaha Narasimha Swamy. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and police teams concluded rescue operations by morning, confirming seven deaths and one injury. Earlier reports had estimated the death toll at eight. The deceased have been identified as K. Mandikantha Eswara Sesha Rao (29) from Ambajipeta, Yedla Venkata Rao (58), HCL employee Pilla Umamaheswara Rao (30), his wife Pilla Sailaja (29), her mother Venkata Ratnam (45), and G Mahalakshmi (65). One devotee, Praveen, was injured and is currently receiving treatment. Sources indicated that the wall, which was part of recent construction, collapsed due to poor structural integrity — allegedly built with excessive sand and inadequate cement. This is the first time the centuries-old Chandanotsavam festival has witnessed fatalities, although stampedes have occurred in past editions. Chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, who held an urgent teleconference with senior officials, ministers, and temple hereditary trustee Poosapati Ashok Gajapati Raju, announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 3 lakh for the injured. He also directed officials to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured and promised government jobs within the Endowments Department for the bereaved families. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and sanctioned an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for each of the deceased's families and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan also extended his sympathies to those affected by the tragedy.
Hans India
30-04-2025
- General
- Hans India
Four members belonging to same family died at Simhachalam
Visakhapatnam: A pall of gloom descended on the Pilla's family as four of the family members died in the wall collapse incident occurred at Simhachalam Devasthanam in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. Pilla Umamaheswara Rao (30) and his wife Pilla Shailaja (29) along with her mother P Venkataratnam and aunt G Mahalakshmi died in the incident when they were waiting for the Nijarupa darshan at the Rs.300 ticket queue line. The other family members belonging to Madhurawada were inconsolable as they lost four members of their family in the tragic incident. Both Umamaheswara Rao and Shailaja were software employees and opted for work from home. They got married three years back.
