Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad

Caught in the firing line

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD June 6 . He set out from home with a dream, to get himself educated and get ahead in life. But, by a strange twist of misfortune, he landed in hospital.

Life has suddenly become gloomy for the tribal teenager, Shivlal, who sustained bullet injuries when naxalites opened fire on a bus on Wednesday night near Achampet in Mahbubngar district. With three bullets embedded in his body, Shivlal lay in the bed weeping over his fate. Another bus passenger, Battula Sailoo, also suffered serious bullet injuries in the firing incident. Both the victims are now undergoing treatment at the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) here.

While Sailoo, who sustained bullet injuries in right thigh and abdomen, was operated upon and kept on a ventilator, the condition of Shivlal was stated to be out of danger. Even 24 hours after the incident, Shivlal continues to be petrified and shudders to recall the incident. A resident of Siddapur village, he was returning home in the bus after submitting an application seeking admission to Intermediate first year in the Achampet Government Junior College.

``It was pitch dark. The bus reached a bushy area between Inolu and Bommanapalle village when suddenly 20 naxals surrounded the bus and started firing indiscriminately,'' said the trembling Shivlal. Within a few minutes, three bullets hit him one after the other and he fell down. The policemen travelling in the bus also opened fire in retaliation.

``It was total confusion. There were more than 30 passengers in the bus. I jumped out of the window and fell beside the road,'' recalled the teenager. Meanwhile, Sailoo also suffered injuries. The firing went on for half-an-hour. Shivlal became unconscious and woke up only when the policemen returned to the place with additional forces in the same bus.

``He hails from a very poor family, what mistake did Shivlal commit to suffer this. His father and elder brother are labourers and put all their hopes on him. Who will bear the medical expenses for his treatment,'' questioned Shivlal's uncle, Parameshwar.

The story of Sailoo is no better. He too is an agricultural labourer and has three children. His wife, Padmaja, is pregnant. "How will we take care of these kids if anything happens to my son,'' asked Sailoo's mother, Narsamma, weeping uncontrollably.

Our Mahabubnagar Correspondent writes:

The Superintendent of Police, Rajeev Kumar Meena, alleged that naxalites belonging to the PWG opened fire at the police and civilians without any provocation from the police at Ieenolu village of Achampet mandal on Wednesday night when an RTC bus carrying about 60 passengers, 12 CRPF constables, nine members of the Kalajatha troupe and Sub-Inspectors of Achampet and Balmoor police station reached the outskirts of the village.

Speaking to mediapersons at the Achampet police station, the S.P. said that the naxals opened fire at the police team who were proceeding to Ieenolu village along with the cultural troupe to hold a Maitri Kalajatha in the village. Mr. Meena alleged that the naxalites who announced a ceasefire on their own a month ago had themselves violated it.

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