Kidnapped AP Engineer Left to Starve for 6 Days

With an AK-56 rifle constantly being pointed at his head, 50-year-old Bandamuri Nagamalleswara Rao kept his fingers crossed. With hardly anything to eat, he survived mostly on water for full six days inside the dense forests of Assam before finally being freed by the Assam police on Sunday. Rao, an engineer, who was kidnapped by militants six days ago, is still in a state of shock and his health has considerably deteriorated. Incharge of a crushing unit of Hyderabad-based Vashishta Constructions, he was abducted by five heavily armed masked militants, who demanded a ransom of `6 crore for his release. According to police officials, soon after Rao was abducted and taken into the forest, his mobile phone was snatched. Using the same phone, his abductors called up his office to inform that they had kidnapped Rao. “When Rao wanted to talk to his children, they refused,” a police official said, adding that Rao was given anything to eat, but left to starve. Prakasam district Superintendent of Police (SP) P Pramod Kumar who was in constant touch with the Assam police ever since the kidnap, told Express that an extortion gang had kidnapped Rao and threatened him with rifles. However, they did not harm him. “Assam Rifles has confirmed that the extremists who kidnapped Rao are not Bodo militants. Local extremists who had procured high-end weapons illegally, committed the offence. They extort money from firms and units located in Haflong district of Assam,” the SP said and added that Rao spoke to his children soon after his release and informed them that he is safe. Meanwhile, Rao who was rescued by Assam Rifles with the assistance of local police, was admitted to a local hospital in Assam for medical check-up after he complained of body pains, and stomach pain. 

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

Sanders Smugglers to Get Red Corner Notices

The Crime Investigation Department (CID), Andhra Pradesh, would issue a ‘Red corner’ notice to nab notorious red sander smuggler Kollam Gangi Reddy, who is said to be hiding in Dubai. Gangi Reddy is also one of the accused in the attempt on the life of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at Alipiri in 2004. Besides, Principal Secretary (Home) B Prasada Rao has given orders to police to prosecute Gangi Reddy for various offences. According to police, Gangi Reddy obtained a passport by mentioning false date of birth in passport application. After receiving the passport, he allegedly fled to Dubai to evade arrest. A senior police officer told Express that they would file a chargesheet against Gangi Reddy for the  passport offence, before the court on Monday. “After filing the chargesheet, the court will issue a non-bailable warrant. While executing NBW, we will issue a look-out notice and a red corner notice to nab the accused through the Interpol. The accused is hiding somewhere in Dubai,” a senior police officer said. AP incharge DGP Jasti Venkata Ramudu wrote to the government on June 19 stating that there are reasons to believe that Kollam Gangi Reddy has committed several offences. The High Court too has found fault with the police for not declaring Gangi Reddy a proclaimed offender. AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is understood to have directed the police officials to take steps to arrest Gangi Reddy, who escaped to Dubai after getting bail in Alipiri blast case. Reddy was involved in red sanders smuggling in Seshachalam forests.

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

No More Bodies Found, Parents Told to Return Home

Since there is no breakthrough in fishing out bodies from Beas river even though site-scan sonar and remote-sensing technology were used by rescue teams, the Mandi district administration, police officials and the Telangana home minister who are camping in Mandi today requested parents to leave for their native places.  A review meeting was held by the Mandi district administration with police officials, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana representatives and parents after the rescue teams could not trace bodies in the river on Sunday. Mandi district superintendent of police RS Negi told Express over phone that they had taken a decision to continue search operation. The police officials and Telangana home minister Nayini Narasimha Reddy have requested the parents of 16 students, whose bodies are yet to be traced, to leave Mandi after leaving their contact addresses, email IDs and phone numbers with the officials. ‘’Many parents, who have been camping here since the students went missing, have decided to leave for their native places. As we decided to continue the search operations, we will get in touch with parents if rescue teams fish out bodies from the river,” Negi said, adding that no one had forced the parents to leave the place. ‘’If the parents want to stay here, they can do so and the local administration would provide them accommodation,’’ he added. The side-scan sonar and remote- sensing technology that were brought from the Navy in Delhi and Visakhapatnam could not give fruitful results. ‘’We requested the management of VNR Vignan Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology in Hyderabad to keep two representatives in Mandi to coordinate with the Mandi police and the parents of victims by passing information if bodies are fished out in future. Some of the parents have already left the place and the remaining will leave by Monday,” Negi said. Hours after Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh’s statement that the drowning of 24 Telugu students in Beas River was not caused by the negligence on the part of Larji dam authorities, Negi said they would, however, continue with their probe. ‘’I do not know what the chief minister has said but we will go ahead by questioning students who visited the place as part of investigation,” the SP said.

By Moule Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

Nalgonda Police to Get Weekly Off for First Time

It’s official! Policemen in Nalgonda district will enjoy weekly offs from next week. Once it is implemented smoothly, it will be extended to other districts in Telangana. According to officials, as many as 4,000 of the 6,000 workforce in Nalgonda will get offs in the pilot project. SP, Nalgonda, Dr T Prabhakar Rao told Express this is the first time that the Nalgonda police will be getting weekly offs. “We are planning to implement this from June 22 or 23. The staff category - from home guards to sub-inspectors - will get this benefit initially. Later, it will be applied for inspectors and up to DSP rank officers,” Prabhakar said. Elaborating on the plan, Prabhakar said, for instance, if 30 policemen from home guards to sub-inspectors are working in a police station, at least 15 will take off on Sundays. The remaining will get an off between Monday and Saturday in rotational system.” He, hastened to add that in case of a security emergency, the weekly offs will be curtailed. “We will take precautionary measures to prevent untoward incidents and maintain law and order while providing weekly offs,” the SP said. It is learnt that higher officials were directed by the Telangana government to implement weekly offs for policemen as a pilot project in Nalgonda district. The district has as many as 4,500 civil police comprising home guards, constables, head constables, assistant sub-inspectors, sub-inspectors and inspectors while 2,000 staff of armed reserve and Andhra Pradesh Special Police (APSP) are also discharging duties. Prabhakar expressed the hope that the new system will give much-needed breather to the district police. “We will implement and give a final shape to the plan soon,” he said. Policemen in the district expressed happiness over the prospect of taking a day off, a break from the high pressure job, and spend some time with their families. The Hyderabad Police, meanwhile, are also hoping that they will get a day’s break at least from their hectic duties, over-burdened as they are.

By Moule Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

Parents Give Up Hope, to Return Today

The parents of 16 students, who have been  camping in Mandi in Himachal Pradesh to take back the bodies of their children, gave up hopes on Saturday after the special search operation to trace them yielded no results. They would return to the city on Sunday. The grief-stricken parents flew to Himachal Pradesh immediately on hearing the tragic news. The representatives of AP and Telangana governments told Express over phone that the parents have requested them to make arrangements for them to reach Hyderabad. The parents will fly back to Hyderabad on Sunday, they said. Meanwhile, an assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Petbasheerabad, M Srinivasa Rao, who went to Mandi to take part in the rescue operations, collapsed here on Saturday. He was immediately shifted to a hospital nearby and is reported to be stable. Cyberabad police team is also likely to return to the city on Sunday. Additional Director General of Police and an ace swimmer Rajiv Trivedi, who is camping in Mandi, along with his team told Express over phone that he and his team have participated in the search operations. ‘’The rescue team focused on the three-km stretch of the river towards the Pongh dam on Saturday,’ Trivedi said.

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

HP Govt Sets up Special Team to Probe Beas Tragedy

Even as the Mandi police continue their search operations for retrieving the bodies of students of VNR college, a special police team has been formed by the Himachal Pradesh government on Friday to probe the reasons that led to the tragedy and whether it was a man-made mishap or nature’s fury. The probe is being led by investigation officer (IO) and Aut (Mandi) assistant sub inspector Mohar Singh. Police suspect that some of the students, who were proceeding from Shimla to Kullu Manali, asked the bus driver to stop for nature’s call after the bus reached the Shala Nala on the banks of Beas river near Thalout. The driver reportedly stopped the bus and some students got down from the bus to attend nature’s call. The students, however, were attracted by the scenic Beas river and a mild water fall from Larji dam. The mesmerising scene is what seems to have led the students to get into the Beas river and pose for photographs. Mandi district SP RS Negi, who is closely monitoring the search operations, told Express over phone that there were many theories as to how the tragedy took place. ‘’As of now, we are busy searching for the bodies. A special team led by ASI Mohar Singh will probe into the case to find out facts whether it was a man-made mishap or just nature’s fury. Once we finish the search operations, we will investigate the case,’’ Negi said.

He, however, added that if, during the investigation, the role of any person surfaces, then stern action will be taken against the persons for endangering life of students. Already, the police has registered a case of negligence against the staff of Larji Project authority for releasing water into Beas river. The SP said that they have temporarily suspended search operation on Friday with heavy flow of water gushing down from Larji dam after snow started melting in the upper reaches. ‘’I directed dam authority to close all gates and not to release water on Saturday and directed all teams to resume search operation from 7 am on Saturday. It is very difficult to trace bodies in ice-cold water. Due to severe cold, bodies might not float on water. Considering these difficulties, we directed dam staff not to release water on Saturday,’’ Negi added. Aut police, however, recorded the statements of Ch Aditya, who lodged a complaint a few days ago. In his complaint, he stated that 65 students including faculty members of  Vignan College, Hyderabad were on a tour to Shimla. When they reached Shala Nala on the bank of Beas river near Thalout, few student proposed to get down from the bus and wanted to take photographs at Shala Nala. While taking photographs, water released from Larji dam washed away 25 students.

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

UAV Helps Locate Bodies of Two Missing Students

With rescue teams finding it difficult to trace the bodies of the missing students of VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology, who were washed away in river Beas at Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Thursday deployed an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), also called remotely-piloted aircraft. The vehicle, pressed into service at the behest of NDMA Vice-Chairman Marri Sashidhar Reddy, sent signals to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams indicating the presence of two bodies in the river a few kilometres from the Larji dam. The NDRF teams fished out the bodies soon after. “We have intensified the search by using a UAV that will help us locate the bodies if they are floating or stuck amidst rocks under water. Specially-designed operation applications have been installed in the UAV to locate the bodies. Even though it is very difficult to trace the bodies in the river due to the heavy flow of water, we have deployed additional teams to retrieve the bodies as soon as possible,” Reddy, who is camping at the accident spot, told Express. The two bodies have been identified as those of T Upender of Palaocha in Khammam district and G Aravind Kumar, a resident of Vanasthalipuram here. Bodies of 16 students are yet to be retrieved.

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

Three Bodies Cremated in City, One in Nalgonda

Twenty-one-year-old Lakshmi Gayatri Appanabhotla and 20-year-old Akula Vijetha, whose bodies, along with those of two others, arrived here from Himachal Pradesh on Monday night, were very close friends and both left the world as if they would not be able to live without one another. They met at VNR Vignan Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology at Bachupally here for the first time during admissions to B.Tech and  hit it off instantly. At daybreak on Tuesday, grief-stricken friends and acquaintances arrived at the residence of Lakshmi Gayatri at Gayatri Residency in Eenadu Colony  in Kukatpally. About 8.30 am a group of students of her college descended on the house to have a last glimpse of her. They chose Electrical Instrumentation as their subject of study and became benchmates too. They were part of the group that went to Himachal Pradesh on an industrial tour. “They had a great time visiting the Taj Mahal, Kullu Manali and Mandi along with their classmates without an inkling of the impending danger. Death, in the form of a huge mass of water, gobbled them,” said a senior student. As the day progressed, parents had to do the inevitable: performing the last rites. The four bodies were cremated at different places as parents and friends bid a tearful farewell. The body of the fourth victim, Rambabu Naik, was sent to his village in Nalgonda district where the funeral was conducted by his parents. “We were all together. We never had the feeling that one was a junior and the other was a senior. Lakshmi used to visit my classroom if she had any doubts and used to collect books from us. Lakshmi and Vijetha were good friends. They used to make rounds to the canteen, library together. They went to tour and their bodies with enthusiasm but they did not return home, only their bodies did,” regretted Lakshmi’s senior Sravani. Appanabhotla Suryanarayana, who visited the accident site at Beas river in Mandi and received the body of his daughter Lakshmi, vented his anger on the irrigation staff who lifted the gates of Larji dam without any warning. “Students were sitting on 10-foot-high rocks downstream the dam. When I visited the spot after the mishap had taken place, I made some enquiries. The survivors said that they had heard water gushing but they thought it was a rain pouring down from the sky,” Suryanarayana recalled. 

The atmosphere at Akula Vijetha’s residence was no different. Hundreds of friends and relatives gathered at her relative’s house in Madhuranagar. She wanted to be a businesswoman like her father Surya Kumar. They used to discuss his business. Her family members received the body at the Begumpet airport, shifted it to her relative’s house in Madhuranagar and performed the final rites. At Aishwarya’s house, it was tough to control her grief-stricken parents GV Durga Dass and Sudharani. Hundreds of locals, friends, and family members made a beeline for her house.

YSRC Team in Manali: A team of YSRC MPs which were in Kulu Manali demanded payment of `20 lakh as ex gratia to the kin of students washed away in the Beas river on Sunday. The YSRC team was in Manali to extend help to the parents and relative of students. The team comprised YV Subba Reddy, Mithun Reddy and P Srinivasa Reddy. The team felt that more number of rescue teams should be pressed into service to look for survivors. They expressed dissatisfaction over the pace of rescue operations and wanted the Himachal government to intensify the rescue operations further.

JNTU-H Plans to Ban Excursions: In the wake of the Himachal Pradesh tragedy, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University plans to issue a notification to the affiliated colleges cancelling student excursions in the name of industrial tours, particularly to dangerous locations. “As per the curriculum, there is no such thing as an excursion. Students are supposed to go to  industries and get trained for a particular period, which is similar to an internship,” said N V Ramana Rao, Registrar, JNTU. He said committee was formed to discuss  the safety of the students working in the industrial areas. Students can, however, go to  nearby areas as a part of their study tour. There have been three such incidents where the students have gone on industrial tours and lost their lives.

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com