Fortyone-year-old Munikam Koti was the first sacrifice in support of special status to Andhra Pradesh. Koti, who set himself ablaze on Saturday, breathed his last in the KMC hospital at Chennai while undergoing treatment on Sunday noon.
It may be mentioned that Koti, an ardent supporter of Congress, set himself ablaze seeking special status to Andhra Pradesh at Tirupati during a Congress meeting. Koti, who suffered over 60 per cent burn injuries was taken to KMC hospital at Chennai from Vellore after his condition deteriorated. After an autopsy, the body was handed over to family members of Koti. Earlier Koti was taken to RUIA hospital at Tirupati and later shifted to Vellore before being taken to Chennai.
Koti had participated actively in the united Andhra Pradesh agitation. It was stated that Koti was depressed over the Centre not according special status to AP.
Meanwhile, Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, who is in Chennai, termed the incident as unfortunate. The NDA government is committed to confer special status to Andhra Pradesh, he said, adding the problem has arisen following hasty decision of the Congress party to bifurcate the State. (NSS)