Days after three large sand-laden boats drifted from their moorings on the Krishna River and collided with the Prakasam Barrage on September 1, officials are now working to cut the boats into pieces to remove them. Despite deploying heavy weightlifting equipment on Monday and Tuesday, efforts to lift the 30-tonne boats have been unsuccessful.

M Ram Babu, Chief Engineer of Krishna Delta Systems, informed The Indian Express on Wednesday that divers from a private firm in Visakhapatnam have been called in to assist. He explained that the propellers of two boats had become entangled, complicating their removal despite the use of heavy cranes. The divers are undertaking a complex and dangerous operation to cut each boat into four pieces for removal.

On September 1, four boats transporting sand along the Krishna River became stuck at the Prakasam Barrage, damaging two sluice gates’ counterweights. While one boat drifted away after hitting a counterweight, the remaining three have been stranded.

As officials work on a solution, the incident has sparked political controversy. The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has alleged that the boats are painted in colors associated with the rival Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) and accused them of deliberately releasing the boats to create chaos. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, inspecting flood-affected areas in Eluru, claimed that the boats were purposely let loose to damage the barrage and that their YSRCP colors suggest malicious intent.

Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu confirmed the damage but noted it could have been much worse if the boats had hit the barrage’s structural columns. He suggested that the boats were improperly anchored despite the flood conditions and that their release might have been a deliberate act of sabotage. The police are investigating the situation, and boat owners K. Ushadri and K. Ram Mohan have been arrested on charges related to endangering public safety and causing damage.

The YSRCP has dismissed these allegations as attempts by the TDP to deflect attention from their handling of the flood crisis. Former Minister Ambati Rambabu criticized the TDP for using the incident to discredit the YSRCP while hundreds of boats were damaged in the floods.

Political tensions have further escalated as both parties have released photos of the boat owners meeting with rival leaders. The TDP initially released photos of K. Ushadri and K. Ram Mohan at YSRCP events, while the YSRCP countered with photos showing Ram Mohan interacting with TDP leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Nara Lokesh Naidu.