Hyderabad: A tragedy was averted after the boat carrying Telangana minister for backward class welfare, Gangula Kamalakar turned turtle, leading to his fall into the lake in Karimnagar on Thursday.
However, the minister had a narrow escape from drowning in the lake as alert officers who were standing nearby came to his rescue and brought him out of the water immediately.
Gangula was participating in the decennial celebrations of Telangana Formation Day in the district, following which he sat on the boat with two other people to take a tour in the water of the village tank.
A video of the Gangula falling into the water has viral on social media to which the people reacted stating that this is not the first time the minister had fallen in the water.
The minister who received a warm welcome from the people in Karimnagar was requested to offer prayers, on a small board decorated with flowers.
Earlier, while inaugurating the speed boat facility at the Manair Dam, Gangula lost his balance and fell into the water.
In April 2023, Gangula met with another accident during the launch of a paddy procurement centre in Cherlabuthkur when the stage he walked onto collapsed.
The dais suddenly caved in and everyone fell.
However, the minister continued even after sustaining minor injuries and later went to a private hospital in Karimnagar for a checkup.