Honeybees attack Andhra opposition leader Jagan Reddy’s padayatra

A swarm of honeybees attacked YSR Congress party president and leader of opposition in the Andhra Pradesh assembly YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Thursday during his padayatra (foot march) in West Godavari district.

He escaped injury. But at least 10 party workers who formed a shield around him were hospitalised with bee stings.

Reddy was speaking to villagers at Kanuru cross roads in the Nidadavolu assembly constituency around 10 am on Thursday, the 18rrd day of his marathon march, when the swarm attacked. It is not known what provoked the bees.

Party workers and villagers ran for safety. But some of them surrounded Reddy while security personnel used towels to protect shoo away the bees.

“In spite of the chaos, Jagan remained unperturbed and continued his walk briskly though it was raining. He asked the local party leaders to see that the injured get adequate medical care,” a party leader said.

Reddy started his 3,000-km long Praja Sankalpa Yatra from Idupulapaya in Kadapa district on November 6. He has so far covered a distance of 2,268 km.

He has been a taking break every Friday to attend the trial of an alleged disproportionate assets case in the CBI court in Hyderabad before resuming his padayatra the next day. Occassionally, he also takes a break for a day to take part in his party’s agitation for special category status to Andhra Pradesh.