A man went missing after being swept away in the swollen Kaddam river on Saturday, following the release of surplus water from the Kaddam Narayana Reddy project in Nirmal district, Telangana.
The victim, identified as T. Gangadhar of Kannapur village, was reportedly fishing in the river despite warnings from irrigation officials not to venture into the water due to heavy discharge. According to locals, he got stranded on a rock amid the strong currents and was seen calling for help for some time. He later attempted to swim to safety but was dragged away by the force of the river—a moment captured in a video that quickly went viral on social media.
By the time the District Disaster Response Force (DDRF) team reached the spot, Gangadhar had already been washed away. His body had not been recovered till evening. Residents alleged that the fisherman might have survived had the rescue team arrived earlier. They also pointed out that onlookers were busy filming the incident instead of alerting the police immediately, which led to a delay in launching rescue operations.
Authorities have intensified search operation and continued to caution people against entering the river in view of the heavy inflows.
Published – August 16, 2025 09:32 pm IST
