ONGOLE: A pall of gloom descended on the district headquarters of Ongole as it woke up on Monday to receive the bodies of victims of the boat mishap at Pavitra Sangamam near Vijayawada. An eerie silence pervaded the walkers' track at Rangarayudu tank. Most of the victims were members of the walkers' club.The club suspended its regular activities on Monday as its members spent the night consoling members of the bereaved families. It was a big shock for fitness enthusiasts in the town as they lost their motivators and most active members in the mishap. Elderly people like Sayana Koteswara Rao, Jetti Prabhakara Reddy and Pasupuleti Seetharamaiah were the chief motivators on the walking track. Sources said that Pasupuleti Seetharamaiah, an RMP , was a relative of DGP N Sambasiva Rao.Koteswara Rao, 65, a retired employee of APSRTC and trade union leader, was the president of the walkers' club. He, along with Pasupuleti Seetharamaiah, had planned the excursion. "It is an annual feature for all of us. We go for picnics every year during the Karthika month," said a dazed M Subba Rao, friend of Koteswara Rao.He said about 60 people had enrolled for the tour organised in two special buses. But 20 of them opted out of going on the boat. The cruise turned out to be the final journey for 17 of the Ongole residents

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