The Hindu : Tearful farewell to slain constables

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 07, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Tearful farewell to slain constables

By Our Staff Reporter

GUNTUR Jan. 6. A tearful farewell was accorded to the three slain constables, P. Srinivasa Rao, Y. Koteswara Rao and G. Sambasiva Reddy, at the police parade grounds here on Monday.

The Minister for Medical and Health, Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, the Minister for Social Welfare, J.R. Pushparaj and the Director-General of Police, P. Ramulu, and many other elected representatives and senior officers paid homage to the three constables at the parade grounds this morning.

The Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Ray Vinayranjan, the Superintendent of Police, Ravishankar Ayyanar, the District Collector, K. Ramakrishna Rao, and scores of other police officers walked ahead of the convoy, carrying the bodies of the constables from the specially-erected pandals to the main road, as a token of respect to the departed policemen. The policemen raised slogans saying: "Johar...Amar Rahe..,'' to their departed colleagues.

A pall of gloom descended on the parade grounds when the bodies were being lifted into the ambulances. The family members of the deceased constables broke down repeatedly.

When Dr. Sivaprasada Rao went to console them, Krishna Kumari, mother of the late Sambasiva Reddy, broke down again. She went on saying that she couldn't live without her son. "He came to seek my blessings just five days ago before joining duty as a constable. He left the world permanently after putting in five days of service. He promised me that he would call me up every week. I was, in fact, waiting for his call. But, I had to receive his death news,'' she said. Venkat Reddy, father of the slain constable, was still unable to come to terms with the reality. Expressing his grief to Mr. Reddy, the Minister said: "Even we are moving under threat. I cannot tell you not to worry. But, you should face the situation boldly. You take care of your wife.''

It became tough for the Minister to console a wailing Malleswaramma, mother of the late Koteswara Rao. His father, Nagaiah, who was shell-shocked on hearing the news of the demise of his son in a mine blast, was found repenting a lot for sending his ward to a police job. "I raised loans for my son's studies. Considering our financial crisis, the boy used to go for herding cows. He was selected as a constable while studying in degree first year,'' he said. He was critical of the police administration for sending his "inexperienced'' son to the field.

The family members of P. Srinivasa Rao were numbed on knowing about the death of the sole breadwinner of the family. His son kept on saying: "My father used to tell me that he would make me a police officer, as most of my uncles are also policemen.''

Paying homage to the cops, the DIG remarked: "seedha mooncha bhee naheen aya, bechare woh do recruit constablesko'' (even moustache has not grown properly to the two unfortunate recruit constables). He felt sorry for their death at a very young age. The Guntur MP, Y.V. Rao, the legislators, S. Aruna, and S.M.Ziauddin, the city Mayor, Chukka Yesuratnam, were also among those who paid homage.

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