Date:12/12/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/12/12/stories/2003121202920600.htm

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Pall of gloom in Nellore villages

By C. Narayana Rao

NELLORE DEC.11. A pall of gloom has fallen on the tiny village of Vavveru of Butchireddipalem mandal and Apparaopalem of Atmakur in Nellore district, following the kidnapping by the Taliban of G. Varadaiah and P. Murali, hot mixing plant operator and lab technician respectively, belonging to the Hyderabad-based B. Seenaiah & Company (Projects) Ltd., at their Afghanistan work site on Saturday evening. Though an intense search is on to locate them and to establish contact with the abductors, anxiety is increasing among the family members.

Varadaiah (23) has been engaged in the firm for the last seven years, and according to his brother, Venu, he was sent to Afghanistan on August 18 this year. Since then the family has received two cheques and two letters from him. The scheduled caste family has been eking out a living on daily wage earnings. Varadaiah is the second in a family of four.

A number of villagers gathered at Varadaiah's house, making enquiries with family members. His parents, however, were not there. Venu said that he came to know about the incident through newspapers and the local correspondents. He said that he met the former MLA of Atmakur, B. Krishnama Naidu, an associate of the construction company, and has been promised swift action in this matter. Mr. Naidu reportedly told him that he himself would go to Kabul to solve the issue. Varadaiah's family members have been praying for his safe return.

Murali (24) is an M. Sc. in mathematics and worked for sometime at Kharagpur of West Bengal in the Bollineni firm. According to his father, P. Penchalaih, he has been working as a laboratory technician with the construction firm in Afghanistan. Murali had decided to go there as per his choice and the last time he contacted the family was on November 24. He has been telephoning his family twice a month and it came to know about the abduction through newspapers and is anxious to know about his whereabouts. Meanwhile, the Nellore MP, V. Rajeswaramma, said that she would take up the matter with the External Affairs Ministry and ensure their early release. Ms. Rajeswaramma told this reporter on telephone from New Delhi that she would meet Ministry officials along with the Leader of the TDP Parliamentary group, Yerran Naidu. She would also meet the Minister, Yashwant Sinha.

She said that she would be in touch with the officials of the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi.