Onion death claim boomerangs on politicians, media

Vijayawada: Even as opposition parties, spearheaded by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) are trying to score political gains on the issue of spiralling prices of onion, an issue they raised has boomeranged on them.

The opposition claimed that the sudden death of a 65-year old in Gudivada Rythu Bazar was because he collapsed while waiting in the due for buying onion. However, his kin set the record straight stating that the man, Sambi Reddy, died a natural death.

They regretted at a media interaction that vested interests were trying to take ‘political mileage from our personal grief.’

Recalling that Sambi Reddy suffered cardiac stroke ten years back after which he had taken VRS, has been running a small business ever since. He owns 15 acres of land and his two sons are software engineers and are well settled.

‘’There is no need for us to buy onions standing in the queue and it has been a routine for Sambi Reddy to go to the temple in the morning and then visit the Rythu Bazar to buy fresh vegetables as and when available.

The other day also, he followed the routine and had a cardiac stroke and was rushed to the hospital. It has nothing to do with the onion shortage and long queues,’ they said.

‘Please understand the position we are in and the personal loss we had undergone. Some vested interests are trying to politicise our personal grief which is not true. A section of the media coaxed us to give a statement that he died while standing in queue for buying onions and they would get ex-gratia from the government. We refused the proposal and sternly told them to leave us in peace,” the brother-in-law of the deceased said.