Amshala Swamy, 37, who was the face of the Nalgonda fluorosis crisis, died at his residence at Shivannagudem village of Marriguda mandal in Nalgonda today.
Swamy fell down from his battery-operated wheelchair at his house on Friday evening and sustained a severe head injury. He vomited blood on Saturday morning and died a few hours later.
Swamy was part of the long-drawn protest by the Jala Sadhana Samithi, and became known across the country in 2002 after a photograph of him on a table in front of the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whom the agitators met to highlight the severity of the issue, became published.
Swamy was also part of several delegations of fluorosis victims who met several Chief Ministers to submit representations for a solution to the issue.
He was also in the news recently when Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development K T Rama Rao sanctioned him a free double-bedroom house and funds for setting up a salon for his livelihood.
The minister had also visited his double-bedroom house and had lunch with him during his (the minister's) visit to Munugode for the by-election campaigning in November last year.