Villagers resort to road blockade

Eluru: The villagers of Devarapalli, who resorted to rasta roko on Monday night, again started the road blockade on the National Highway at Devarapalli  Y Junction. It may be recalled that on Monday night a speeding lorry hit the bike of a librarian of a private college, resulting in his death on the spot at Devarapalli centre.

Following this accident, the irate villagers resorted to rasta roko on the National Highway which led to the traffic disruption. The police diverted the traffic  towards Tadepalligudem from Gundugolanu  and Nidadavole routes.

As the villagers and students resorted to road blockade in the morning again, the traffic halted on the National Highway on Kovvuru and Eluru side. Police personnel reached the spot and  monitoring the situation.

The villagers are demanding the authorities concerned divert the heavy vehicles on the National Highway from Gundugolanu-Tadepalligudem-Tanuku itself, which was assured earlier by District Collector K Bhaskar.

As the assurance was not fulfilled, the villagers with the latest accident get irked and started the agitation. Earlier, students, lecturers took out a peace rally in the village paying homage to the departed librarian GJ Victor Babu.  

Later, villagers and students formed a human chain on the National Highway disrupting the traffic. The TDP, Congress YSRCP leaders also participated in the human chain.  

They raised slogans against the officials for not initiating any steps to control the accidents.  They again demanded the Collector and SP visit Devarapalli to assess the situation. Kovvuru CI Sarath Raj Kumar, SI P Vasu and Sub-Inspectors under Kovvur jurisdiction reached Devarapalli village and started discussions with the villagers and peoples’ representatives.

About 3,000 students and villagers participated in the rasta roko. As a precautionary measure, the police deployed special force in the village. Tahsildar Raj Kumar reached the spot and discussed with the villagers on the problem.

Kovvuru rural CI Sarat Raj Kumar also participated in the discussions. Both the officials told the villagers that the road would be widened in the village and encroachments would be removed. This would control the accidents in this area, they stated. They said necessary steps would be taken up to control the accidents in the area. After two hours, the villagers and students withdrew their agitation.