Hundreds of residents and visitors from the town were at Telangana Talli centre here, expecting the arrival of the mortal remains of Col. Bikkumalla Santosh Babu.
The time read 11.25 p.m. on Wednesday, and the police radio sounded, “Jangaon crossroad”. As the night was empty, screams of Bharat Mata ki Jai and Jai Jawan Jai Santosh Babu resonated the streets. Standing opposite in rows, men and women held candles and waited the 500-metre distance from the residence.
More than 100 police personnel in the rope party and with barricades, controlled the crowd and regulated movement of media persons. But at 11.45 p.m., with the arrival of the ambulance led by the Military police and State representative G. Jagadish Reddy, situation turned crowded. Immediate measures such as an opening for visitors 12.05 a.m. onwards, hand sanitisation and entry and exit ways managed the crowd. However, on Thursday, all rules of social distancing went for a toss.
With the visiting of each leader and their group, more violations occurred and general public who waited in long queues also missed the chance to catch a final glimpse of the Colonel. State Legislative Council Chairman Gutha Sukender Reddy and TRS MLAs paid their tributes. From the BJP, its State president Bandi Sanjay, Nizamabad MP D. Arvind and Sankineni Venkateswara Rao were present. Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy paid his homage and later walked with the convoy, and Energy Minister G. Jagadish Reddy was also on foot with the chief mourner.
General public in thousands all along the way, Vidyanagar-Kesaram, political leaders at the funeral field included, were clearly in violation of COVID-19 regulations with or without the masks. The police and the press persons did not have an escape.
Only the grieving family and the Indian Army stuck to the ‘only 50 persons on each side rule’ and other measures, which the District Collector T. Vinay Krishna Reddy stated earlier.
Suryapet had the second-most COVID positive numbers in the State last month. Criticism was noted on its deletion of testing samples, declaring it ‘green zone’, and the Telangana High Court even directed action for more testing.
Officials, leaders and the people themselves expressed helplessness. “It is purely sentiment and respect for the martyr over the pandemic,” they said.
