CM orders probe into issue in Chirala

Chirala: Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy responded positively over the alleged letter written by Koduri Pushpa, a fourth-class student from Ramachadrapuram in Vetapalem mandal, that her family is being boycotted by villagers and ordered District Collector Dr Pola Bhaskara a through inquiry in the matter, on Saturday.

On the instructions of the Collector, Joint Collector S Shanmohan visited the village along with the YSRCP in-charge Amanchi Krishnamohan and conducted the probe in the village.

According to locals, Koduri Venkateswarlu is a native of Ramachandrapuram, a fishermen village in Vetapalem mandal of Prakasam district and worked as an MPTC earlier. The villagers alleged that he grabbed three acres of land from the grazing land in the village and get registered on his family member's name.

They also alleged that Venkateswarlu's family must pay a large amount to village as fine. But the Venkateswarlu's family condemned the claims of villagers. They said that Venkateswarlu is a YSRCP member and won as MPTC earlier, against the wishes of then Chirala MLA and TDP leader Amanchi Krishnamohan.

As Amanchi joined YSRCP before elections, he started to support another faction in the village, in which Venkateswarlu's elder son is also a member, and started to take revenge on the former MPTC for not obliging him in many instances.

After elections, Venkateswarlu's family was attacked by others and they flee the village. Venkateswarlu complained to the Collector about the developments in the village and requested him to provide protection to his family from villagers.

On August 28, their family returned to home with police support but the villagers opposed their entry. Since then, the village elders boycotted the family of Venkateswarlu from the village and announced no one should cooperate or even talk to them.

The former MPTC's family and a few other families complained against one another in the police station about thefts and loss of properties in the meantime. Venkateswarlu's grandson and granddaughters joined the local Mandal Parishad Primary School in Classes 2, 3 and 4 and attending it regularly.

On September 4, the village elders called upon the school headmaster DCR Mohan Raju, teachers B Bhadraiah and P Venkateswarlu to Racchabanda and ordered them to not allow the children to school. But the police and education department officials convinced the village elders to send all children to the school, including the grandchildren of the former MPTC.

Granddaughter of Koduri Venkateswarlu, 10-year-old Koduri Pushpa is said to have written a letter to the Chief Minister on September 9 explaining the plight her family is going through in the village and the discrimination the children are experiencing in the school.

She explained the chief minister that the villagers announced that they will impose a fine of Rs 10,000 if anyone speaks to them in the school. She expressed fear that the villagers might kill her father Raju and grandfather and shared her wish to continue education and play with her earlier friends in the village.

Upon receipt of the letter, the Chief Minister called on District Collector and ordered an inquiry on Saturday. Joint Collector Shanmohan reached the village and spoke to the villagers. He announced that though they informed the said victim family, they didn't turn up to the inquiry venue.

In the meeting, the villagers explained their version to Joint Collector and claimed that the land and a boat being enjoyed by Venkateswarlu's family belong to the village and they demanded to cancel their registration. Former MLA Krishnamohan alleged that few people were trying to disturb peace in village and portraying the innocent people as culprits.

After inquiry, Joint Collector Shanmohan assured the villagers that the patta of land would be cancelled and an enquiry about the use of boat would be ordered by the concerned officials before taking a decision on it.

He said the children in village and the grandchildren of former MPTC Venkateswarlu were going to school now. He appealed to villagers to not disturb the children and their education for the mistakes committed by their family members. He said the letter might not be written by the girl as claimed and an inquiry will be conducted about it to take further action on the people involved.