Innocent children left in the lurch

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2011030452630700.htm&date=2011/03/04/&prd=th& K. Srinivasa Rao Innocent children left in the lurch With their parents detained by police, they wander without proper food, shelter SRIKAKULAM: Several children of Vadditandra, Akasalakhavaram and Kakarapalli are forced to eke out a living as their parents have been detained. Police took many villagers, including elderly persons and women a week ago, on the charge that they were violating Section 144 imposed in the respective villages. A few of them were produced to court and later sent to jail. Missing people But, the whereabouts of the remaining people, numbering over 100, is not known to their family members and relatives. They were searching in vain in police stations located in Tekkali, Santabommali, Narsannapeta and other places. Worst affected are the children of Vadditandra village, aged between three and nine, as their parents were detained even before the fire accident in which about 50 houses were gutted on February 28. After the devastation, the remaining villagers could not take care of the children. Dayanidhi, a 5th class student told The Hindu that his mother Bhudevi was taken away by police and his father was afraid of entering the village. His sisters Anita and Sita were also wandering in the village without proper food and shelter. “I was frightened by the smoke bombs, which were hurled in our school premises. My teacher Murthy was also hurt,” he said. N. Dhanumani, a fisherman alleged that his mother Rukmunamma (66) was forcibly taken into custody. A woman called Chinnammi was also worried about her husband Mangu Lakshmana Rao who was missing for the last few days. “I request police officials to tell us at least about his whereabouts,” she added. The police department withdrew forces from the villagers as situation was under control in many villages on Wednesday. The officials said all the detained villagers were safe and would be produced in the court after filing the charge sheet. ‘Suspend works' Meanwhile, the District Collector N. Srikanth said the government asked the East Coast Energy Private Limited to suspend works till further orders. According to him, the government will take a decision on March 7 when experts would meet and review the permissions given to the plant. © Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu