Fresh video of the incident, which appears to have been shot by a bystander shows that Reddy was inside the car under which Cheeli Singayya fell. Eyewitnesses said the vehicle did not stop after Singayya fell, and that supporters around him failed to respond. Locals eventually rushed him to the Guntur Government Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries.
Published Jun 22, 2025 | 5:23 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 22, 2025 | 5:23 PM
Synopsis: A YSRCP supporter died after being run over during YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s visit to Palnadu, with new video evidence suggesting Reddy was in the vehicle involved. Police had claimed the car was private and not part of the official convoy. The party said it has disbursed ₹10 lakh as compensation without taking any direct responsibility.
The death of a Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) supporter on Friday, who was run over by a vehicle in the convoy of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy during a condolence visit to Palnadu, has taken a troubling turn for both Reddy and his party.
A now-viral video that surfaced on the morning of Sunday, 22 June purportedly shows that Reddy was present in the vehicle that fatally ran over 53-year-old Cheeli Singayya, contradicting earlier police claims that it was “a private vehicle” forming part of an “unofficial convoy” that was to blame.
Shocking footage!
During the fan-frenzied Palnadu tour, #YSRCP supremo and former CM #YSJagan’s car allegedly crushed a man while he was greeting supporters. Police confirm the victim, Cheeli Singaiah (55) was run over as the convoy moved on without stopping. Police now mulls… https://t.co/0j9iKCy0pl pic.twitter.com/oTrGuue24P
— Ashish (@KP_Aashish) June 22, 2025
Meanwhile, the YSRCP has, seemingly, both, acknowledged that it was Reddy’s car and denied any responsibility.
“The ruling coalition irresponsibly released a video to falsely blame YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. In the viral video circulated today, it is clearly visible that there was a large crowd surrounding the convoy, and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had no knowledge that the accident had occurred,” the party said in a statement.
“District Superintendent of Police clearly stated that the vehicle involved in the accident was a private vehicle, not part of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s convoy. The driver and owner were identified and interrogated, confirming that the accident had no connection with the convoy itself.”
YSRCP supremo Jagan Mohan Reddy was on his way to Rentapalla to console the family of party leader K Naga Malleswar Rao, who died by suicide last year.
K Naga Malleshwar Rai was a YSRCP leader and the former Deputy Sarpanch of Rentapalla village.
On 9 June, 2024, soon after the TDP-Janasena alliance returned to power, he reportedly consumed pesticide due to alleged harassment by local leaders of the TDP and Janasena.
Jagan Mohan Reddy’s visit to Rentapalla comes in the same month that the NDA marked its first anniversary in power in Andhra Pradesh.
While NDA leaders sought to project the anniversary as a celebration of ‘good governance’ and launched another phase of their flagship Super 6 schemes, the YSRCP described the day as Vennupotu Dinnam (The Day of Backstabbing).
Jagan’s visit is being seen as a reminder of the many alleged incidents of harassment and violence against his party’s supporters under the current government.
However, as massive crowds gathered in defiance of police restrictions, the visit descended into disorder.
According to police, Singayya, a resident of Vengalayapalem, had stepped forward to shower flowers near an Anjaneya Swamy statue at Etukuru on the Lalpuram highway when he slipped and fell beneath a Tata Safari.
The vehicle was initially reported by the police as part of an unofficial convoy ahead of Jagan’s motorcade.
Eyewitnesses said the vehicle did not stop after Singayya fell, and that supporters around him failed to respond. Locals eventually rushed him to the Guntur Government Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries.
“The vehicle was not a part of the convoy, but rather a private vehicle,” the police told the media after Singayya’s death.
However, fresh video of the incident, which appears to have been shot by a bystander, shows that Reddy was inside the car under which Cheeli Singayya fell.
Meanwhile, the YSRCP said it had reached out to Singayya’s family and handed over a cheque of ₹10 lakh as ex gratia.
Even before Jagan arrived, police had raised concerns over the expected turnout. Officials stated that the narrow village roads could safely hold only 200 people – far fewer than the 50,000 supporters expected.
Citing public safety concerns and the risk of a stampede, Sattenapalli DSP reportedly denied permission for the event.
Police said they had proposed an alternative: Jagan could proceed with the visit, but with a gathering capped at 200 people.
Both the Guntur and Palnadu Superintendents of Police said only three vehicles had been granted permission to accompany Jagan. However, more than 30 unauthorised vehicles turned up.
Several two-wheelers also made their way into Palnadu via the Guntur–Sattenapalli route, contributing to the chaos.
While the police maintained that their actions were in the public interest, the YSR Congress Party alleged political interference, calling the restrictions a deliberate attempt to disrupt Jagan’s outreach.
The party accused authorities of acting under pressure from the NDA-led government at the Centre.
The situation escalated further after the visit. Former minister and senior YSRCP leader Ambati Rambabu was booked for allegedly obstructing police personnel on duty.
According to the FIR, Rambabu confronted officers, removed barricades, and facilitated the entry of party workers at Korrapadu near Sattenapalli. He now faces charges under Sections 188, 332, 353, and 427 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
