The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Jana tastes wrath of bereaved kin

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Thursday, Mar 03, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Jana tastes wrath of bereaved kin

By Our Staff Reporter

KURNOOL, MARCH 2. The Home Minister, K. Jana Reddy, faced an angry crowd at Vempenta on Wednesday when he called on the kin of eight persons killed by naxalites on Tuesday.

Mr. Jana Reddy, who arrived by helicopter, proceeded to the village centre where the bodies of all eight victims were kept. He along with the Minister for Lift Irrigation, M. Mareppa, the Atmakur MLA, E. Pratap Reddy, and the Collector, Vikas Raj, placed wreaths on the bodies and paid homage.

Heart-rending scenes were witnessed on the arrival of the Home Minister with some villagers blaming the Government for failure to contain naxalite activities in the area. Susheela, sister of Ravinder Reddy, who was among those done to death by naxalites, asked Mr. Reddy emotionally whether negotiations were held only to get innocent people like them killed.

Eyewitness account

Gandla Krishna, an eyewitness, told the Home Minister that armed naxalites had asked them recollect the 1998 massacre of Dalits and segregated those responsible for the incident. When everybody kept silent, the naxalites took away eight persons one after the other on the pretext of talking to them individually. However, they were done to death.

The villagers told the Home Minister that children were orphaned by the death of men in their prime age. Laxmi, teenage daughter of David, told the Home Minister that their father had worked hard to earn them land. She vowed by thumping the table that she would avenge the killing of her father. They urged Mr. Jana Reddy to drop previous cases against them.

The Home Minister appealed for restraint and said the killings were a blot on humanity. "It might be you today, but naxalites might target me tomorrow,'' he said.

A section of Dalits, believed to be sympathisers of naxalites, stopped the convoy and urged him to give protection. Mr. Jana Reddy asked them not to encourage the cult of violence and said: "You might have cried yesterday but it is their turn today. But both of you will regret one day for making a mess in your village."

SP for Kurnool

Mr. Jana Reddy said the Superintendent of Police would be posted to Kurnool district immediately in view of the extraordinary conditions prevailing here. The post fell vacant following the transfer of V.R.K. Mohan Rao. He told newsmen on Wednesday that Mr. Atul Singh, who was posted here could not take charge due to personal reasons. Another officer would be posted without delay, he said.

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