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Abducted TD leader freed in Jharkhand
Abducted TD leader freed in Jharkhand
Sahibganj superintendent of police A. Vijayal-akshmi told this newspaper that police found a 10-member gang had kidnapped Mr Srinivas Rao, his accountant E.L. Narsi-mha Rao and driver Suraj Kumar Bhagat and kept them in a house at Dud-hkul village under Kalja-rhi police station limits.
The police formed special teams to trace the kidnapped persons and found that some locals, living near the TD leader’s place of work, had planned to kidnap Mr Srinivas Rao for ransom.
Anup Hemron, Paltu Malayya, Susen Hemron, Sannat Hemron, Harimo-han Marandi, Sunitha Marandi and Shekar Cho-wdary, and three others had abducted the trio and kept them in the hideout at Dudhkul village.
The police teams carried searches in Karajal, Pal-ejoir, Vijaypur, Kalepah-lyar, Jandya, Sarangpur and other places to trace the kidnappers.
They first found Mr Srinivas Rao’s vehicle at Hemapur village and intensified their searches.
The teams launched raids at the hideout after finding suspicious activity by non-locals in Dudhkul village.
Ms Vijayalakshmi and Sahibganj deputy superintendent of police Sasibhushan said that police arrested seven persons and recovered two country-made pistols.
Earlier, the Gheravadi police had registered a case on the complaint of Mr Madhusudhan Reddy.
The Jharkhand police ruled out involvement of habitual kidnapping gangs behind the abduction and clarified that the gang was new to these types of crimes.
Ms Vijayalakshmi handed over Mr Srinivas Rao and other two to their relatives.
Mr Srinivas Rao belongs to Oguru village of Kandukur mandal in Prakasam district and would reach his native place on Monday.
$30,000 reward for missing baby
$30,000 reward for missing baby
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Philadelphia, Saanvi Venna
Saanvi Venna - AP file photo
Saanvi had been abducted by unknown kidnappers in a Philadelphia township on Monday morning; in the same incident her grandmother Satyavathi Venna, 61, was killed.
A large number of people, including NRIs, attended a candle-light vigil organised by the Telugu Association of North America in Satyavathi’s memory.
Meanwhile, the local police and the FBI continued their search for Saanvi. “This is not a typical homicide investigation,” district attorney Risa Vetri Ferman told the Philly Inquirer. “We also have the search and rescue operation,” she added.
She said investigators were being guarded with information because “we do not want to do anything that would jeopardise the child’s safety”.
The Pennsylvania State Police has issued an Amber Child Abduction Alert for Saanvi.
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Indian woman killed, grandkid kidnapped
Indian woman killed, grandkid kidnapped
Venna Sivaprasad Reddy, a software engineer working in the US, had recently moved to California from Chicago with his wife Latha and their infant daughter Sravya. As Mr Reddy had asked his mother Satyavathi from Kudumulakunta village in Hanumantunipadu mandal to help with the infant, she had travelled from the US in August and was living with her son.
According to Satyavathi’s husband Konda Reddy, a few African Americans had barged into Mr Reddy’s apartment when Satyavathi was alone with the child and demanded money and gold at gunpoint. When she refused, they snatched the baby and asked Satyavathi to fulfil their demand. However, as Satyavathi tried to contact her son over the phone, the miscreants shot her and escaped with the baby; Satyavathi died on the spot. The baby was still missing, he added. Meanwhile, the police in the US has issued a child abduction alert after Satyavathi’s body was found in the apartment. “Please don’t do any harm to the kid,” said Mr Vasu Velaga, a neighbour.
AP granny shot in US, child stolen
AP granny shot in US, child stolen
Satyavati had gone to the US at the request of her son Sivaprasad Reddy, a software engineer, to take care of Sravya. The child’s mother, Latha, is a former TCS employee. The couple had recently moved from Chicago to the Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, about 40 km from Philadelphia, in the US state of Pennsylvania.
Satyavathi’s husband Konda Reddy, a retired government teacher in Prakasam district, alleged that African Americans barged into the apartment when Satyavathi was alone with the child and demanded money at gunpoint.
Please please help me, cries Sravya’s dad
Please please help me, cries Sravya’s dad
The police complaint was lodged by her son Sivaprasad Reddy.
The Pennsylvania police has issued a child abduction alert after Satyavathi’s body was found in the apartment. Police is looking for the baby “standing 2-foot-6 and weighing 21 pounds”. She was wearing a white dress with pink flowers and some jewellery.
Talking to the media later in the day, Sivaprasad Reddy broke down and said, “If someone finds my baby could you please bring my baby back? Don’t do any harm to my baby. Please please help me in this matter.”
Satyavathi’s husband Konda Reddy, had recently returned from the US after leaving her with their son. He demanded stringent action against the culprits to stop attacks on Indians which had increased in the recent past. The couple’s other son, Krishna Reddy, is also in the US.
A pall of gloom descended on the village at news of Satyavathi’s death reached. Satyavathi’s daughter Vempati Sujatha, who is a teacher, was numb with shock.
Satyavathi cousin B. Venkateswar Reddy condemned the heinous attack and demanded that the US authorities traced the abducted baby.
“The Indian government is providing full protection to Americans here in our country but NRIs in America are not protected,” he said.
CBI will probe IMG deal by Naidu: CM
CBI will probe IMG deal by Naidu: CM
Recalling Mr Naidu’s statement that the TD’s nine-year rule was a golden era for the state and that the Congress was married to corruption, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy said people would soon see the extent of Mr Naidu’s corruption.
The Chief Minister accused Mr Naidu of being the most corrupt chief minister the state ever had. He was speaking at a public meeting in Addanki, Prakasam district, as part of his Indiramma Baata.
The TD government had allotted about 800 acres of land at Gachibowli to IMG Academies Bharata Pvt Ltd at Rs50,000 per acre. The allotment was later cancelled by the YSR government citing alleged irregularities.
The CBI had on September 24 informed the AP High Court that it is willing to investigate the case as per court directions.
The HC had earlier asked the CBI in August to file its reply and state what were its constraints in probing the case.
A division bench of the High Court comprising acting Chief Justice P.C. Ghose and Justice Vilas V. Afzulpurkar, was dealing with two petitions by T. Sriranga Rao, a practising advocate of the city, V. Vijaya Sai Reddy, YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s auditor and veteran journalist A.B.K. Prasad, seeking a CBI probe into the land deal.
Prakasam villages to face blackouts
Prakasam villages to face blackouts
All village panchayats of Prakasam district will face darkness soon due to non-payment of electricity bills. Transco has issued notices to panchayats asking them to pay electricity bills pending from 2009 or face removal of electricity connections.
The Southern Power Distribution Corporation Limited has started action to collect pending bills and issued notices to 1,057 village panchayats, asking them to pay pending bills. These panchayats have to pay nearly Rs.80 lakh per month for the use of electricity for street lights, water supply and others. Transco is also planning to collect surcharge on these pending bills which will increase the financial burdens on these local bodies.
According to records, these panchayats have to pay Rs.29,74,71,011, pending from 2009, and Rs.9.02 crore surcharge is applicable on these bills. There are no elected bodies for village panchayats, hence villagers worry about Transco cutting power connections.
Founder president of Sta-te Sarpanches Association G. Veerabhadrachari said that Transco should collect bills from state government, but were pressurising local bodies instead. He said that panchayats were burdened with the absence of basic amenities due to lack of funds and demanded that electricity supply be continued. Admitting payment of one month electricity bills by village panchayats, Transco senior accountant P. Ramdas said that the department had taken the issue to the notice of district higher officials and were awaiting a response. He clarified that Transco was going to stop power supply to panchayat offices first and later, cut supply to street lights and water connections.
Naidu: Protest on Vanpic under lens
Naidu: Protest on Vanpic under lens
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N. Chandrababu Naidu
Mr Naidu was referring to a helicopter that was seen crossing the Vanpic lands during his Vanpic Poru Baata programme at Gundayapalem and Patapadu villages of Prakasam district.
Though the TD chief was visibly disappointed with the presence of a small group of people during the programme, he however did not stop his scheduled interaction programme at Gundaya-palem.
Mr Naidu completed the padayatra of 4 km in 30 minutes, interacting with the few farmers and giving interviews to scribes on the way.
The TD chief's disappointed with the poor turnout grew after a local, B. Subba Rao, objected over the removal of the fencing of farmers' lands and said that they (the farmers) “do not ne-ed the help of outsiders”.
Mr Naidu tried to pacify the farmers, saying that the TD was not against development and deman-ded the construction of a port at Motupalli.
Leaders queue up to join YSRC
Leaders queue up to join YSRC
Leaders of the Telugu Desam and Congress are migrating into the YSR Congress in Prakasam district, suspecting a huge win for the YSRC in the forthcoming Assembly elections. Recently, Telugu Yuvatha and state Telugu Rythu vice-president Chunduri Ravi joined the YSRC with his supporters. Earlier, senior TD leader and former MLA Gottipati Narsaiah gave a jolt by joining the YSRC.
Similarly, another TD senior leader and ex-MLA P. David Raju, ex-MLA Mukku Kasi Reddy, former minister and Chirala TD leader Dr P. Rama Rao and Dr Swarna Geetha also joined the YSRC. The Congress feels the same pinch with former MLAs Dr B. Ch. Gartaiah, Dara Sambaiah, Janke Vankat Reddy, Udumula Srinivas Reddy and former zilla parishad chairperson Katam Arunamma joining the YSRC. Meka Ravindrababu, a Kamma leader who worked as Prakasam district revenue officer, joined the YSRC two days ago in the presence of Ongole MLA Balineni Srinivas Reddy.
He had earlier faced allegations of supporting the TD as DRO.
Meanwhile, YSRC party sources said that Mr David Raju was working for a party ticket to contest from Yerragondapalem reserved constituency.
Similarly, Dr Gartaiah was busy for the Addanki ticket, Mr Narsaiah for the Parchur ticket and Mr Rama Rao for the Chirala party ticket. YSRC state spokesperson and MLC Mr Jupudi Prabhakar Rao is planning to contest from Santanutalapadu reserved constituency.
Interestingly, Mr Ravindrababu is seeking the Kandukur ticket due to the presence of Kamma voters there.
Surekha predicts YSRC rule
Surekha predicts YSRC rule
The YSR Congress claimed growing response to their party in Telangana region and is hopeful of winning majority seats to form government in the state in 2014 assembly elections.
YSRC leader and former MLA Konda Surekha said at Markapuram on Monday that YSRC is getting growing response in the Telangana region as public were attracted toward party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. She predicted that in 2014 assembly election, YSRC would emerge as single largest party to form government with public support.
Mentioning about the statement of Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K. Chandrasekhar Rao about forming of Telangana in one month, she announced YSRC would launch agitations against Mr Chandrasekhar Rao for cheating public from September 15 if Telangana state fails to form.
Ms Surekha defended that YSRC had voted in favour of Mr Pranab Mukherjee in the recent presidential polls due to his clean image and ruled out any hidden pact with Congress. She alleged that TRS was deceiving public with false statements and predicted that people will teach a strong lesson to TRS in future.
She further alleged that Congress government had sent him to jail with the help of false cases, as it is unable to digest growing response to Mr Jagan. She claimed enormous response to YSRC honorary president Y.S. Vijayalakshmi’s Deeksha at Siricilla in support of weavers.
Ms Surekha further predicted huge win to YSRC in forthcoming local body elections with public support. Later Ms Surekha unveiled YSR statues in many villages of Donakonda mandal along with former MLAs, Mr U. Srinivasulu Reddy, Mr Janke Venkata Reddy and other leaders.
CBI inquiry demanded into Chhattisgarh killings
CBI inquiry demanded into Chhattisgarh killings
The Human Rights Forum (HRF), AP Civil Liberties Committee (APCLC) and Organisation for Protection of Democratic Rights (OPDR) here on Wednesday demanded a CBI probe in the recent fake encounters in Chhattisgarh state by CRPF and COBRA commandos.
Addressing a press meet, HRF district convener N. Venugopal, OPDR state president Chavali Sudhakar and APCLC district secretary Gandla Venkat Rao, said that a fact-finding committee with various organisations including their three had visited Sarkeguda, Kottaguda and Rajupenta villages under Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on July 6 and 7.
The leaders alleged that as many as 100 COBRA and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commandos surrounded a normal village meeting of tribals on June 28, started firing without warning and killed 17 innocent persons. They further alleged that CRPF and COBRA commandos had killed children namely K. Parvati, 10, K. Ramesh, 11, and Saraswati, 12, branding them as Naxalites.
Claiming that only innocent villagers were killed in the firing, they refuted the statement of Union home minister P. Chidambaram about Naxal activities in the three tribal villages. They lamented that government was deploying CRPF, paramilitary and special police force in tribal villages for the removal of tribals in the name of Naxals.
The three with other leaders demanded prosecution of CRPF and COBRA commandos participated in the fake encounter by registering cases under 302 IPC and SC/ST Atrocity (Prevention) Act, CBI probe and protection of tribal community under V schedule of our Constitution.
Vanpic: Farmers on the attack
Vanpic: Farmers on the attack
Farmers are planning to intensify their agitation to get back their lands unconditionally from the Vodarevu and Nizampatnam Ports Industrial Corridor (Vanpic) project, which includes a port at Motupalli, an airport at Beeramgunta, and shipping harbour at Vodarevu.
The Congress government led by the late Y. S. Rajasekhar Reddy had issued a government order allowing Vanpic to acquire lands from farmers. Vanpic planned to acquire 13,000 acres in Guntur district and 15,000 acres in Prakasam.
Farmers were reluctant to part with their land but were persuaded to do so and Vanpic reportedly acquired nearly 10,000 acres in Prakasam, mostly along the coast from Vodarevu to Kothapatnam mandal.
However, no work was started on the acquired land and the CPI, CPM, Telugu Desam and other political parties raised queries about the land acquisition. The CBI conducted an enquiry that found that very meagre payments, of Rs.80,000 to Rs.90,000 per acre were made to the farmers, though the recorded amounts were Rs.2 lakh to Rs.2.50 lakh per acre.
The minister for rural development, Mr Dokka Manikya Varaprasad Rao occupied Vanpic land at Allur on June 4 under Yeruvaka programme. The police did not register a case against him or his associates, which boosted the morale of the agitating farmers.
Political parties led farmers to occupy the Vanpic land in several areas. Farmers P. Kripakar, and K. Devulaiah of Peddagan-jam claimed that according to the land acquisition act, if acquired lands were not used for the acquired purpose within the scheduled time, the acquired lands should be returned to the original landowners, and hence the acquisition is illegal.
The Vanpic Vyatireka Porata Committee is going to start a website to bring the victims’ plight to the notice of the world, committee convener, P. Sankar told this newspaper over the telephone.
AP Vyavasaya Karmika Sangham and other left-wing organisations held an internal meeting at Ongole on Wednesday and decided to start sowing work on the Vanpic lands in this kharif season, said Sangham district secretary, Mr Pentyala Hanumantha Rao.
The district superintendent of police, Mr K. Raghuram Reddy said that Vanpic has not asked for any protection for their land but has lodged two complaints against encroachment.
Interestingly, despite having the support of several political parties and organisations, a majority of the farmers are reluctant to start cultivating the Vanpic land because it is mostly sandy and not good for agriculture, but only for salt, prawn and fish farming, which is comparatively expensive. Hence encroachment on Vanpic-held land is occurring in only a few areas.
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