A couple from Andhra’s Godavari district, apparently drowning in debt, left their three-year-old child on a bridge and jumped into the Godavari river. Police have rescued the child and are now searching for the couple.
Godavari (Aug 29): In a truly heartbreaking incident from Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari district, a young couple, reportedly crushed by debt, left their 3-year-old child on a bridge and jumped into the raging Godavari river. They are feared dead.
The couple has been identified as Dodda Sai, 29, and his wife Shireesha, 28, who were residents of Velpuru village. On Thursday night, around 10 PM, they rode their scooter to the Chinchinada Vasishta bridge with their child. They then left the little one on the bridge, right next to the scooter, and jumped into the overflowing river.
Child’s cries of “Amma… Nanna…”
The child, all alone in the dark and cold, started crying loudly, calling out “Amma… Nanna…” (Mom… Dad…). Some people walking by heard the cries and immediately called the local police. When they looked around for the parents, the child itself told them that they had jumped into the river.
The police rushed to the spot, took the child into their care, and seized the scooter. The child has since been handed over to relatives. A massive search operation is now underway to find the couple, with police, local rescue teams, swimmers, and boat crews all involved. At the time of publishing this story, there was still no sign of them.
Was it the burden of debt?
According to the initial investigation, debt seems to be the reason for this tragedy. Dodda Sai, who was a driver, had worked in a Gulf country before returning to Andhra Pradesh. He was reportedly struggling with huge loans and financial problems. Police suspect that the couple had even sold their house recently because of this money crisis. They have filed a case and are investigating if financial trouble was the only reason, or if there were other family issues involved.
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