Mysterious disappearance of children haunts citizens

• City police commissioner cautions parents to take precautions
• Suspects that a gang could be moving in the city
• Strengthening the Intelligence network and installing CCTV cameras on main roads, at railway and bus stations planned
• Disappearance of girl from Kottur Tadepalli remains a mystery

Vijayawada: City police are now focussing their attention on strengthening the intelligence network in the wake of increasing number of children missing in and around Vijayawada city.

City police commissioner A B Venkateswra Rao too has expressed the apprehension that a gang of kidnappers of children could be behind the cases of children gone missing. He has appealed to people to be cautious of “such gang” or “gangs” moving in the city. It all began on November 11 with a boy named Chandu Swaroop missing from the government hospital premises here. He was traced two days later at Allaram in East Godavari district. The boy came to the city along with his parents from Draksharamam in East Godavari. It still remains a mystery how the boy surfaced at Allaram after disappearing in Vijayawada. The police and the parents, however, heaved a sigh of relief with the boy being found.

In another shocking incident, a girl named Kavya went missing from Kottur Tadepalli on November 23. There are rumours that she was whisked off in a red colour car when she went outside to relieve herself. There is no trace of her so far. Kavya’s grandmother Mahalakshmi is in a state of shock over her granddaughter’s disappearance.

The police are now considering installing closed circuit TV cameras (CCTV cameras) all along the main roads and near the railway station and Bus Stand to keep tabs on movement of criminals. As the city is spread over just 5 km radius, the anti-social elements are finding it easy to make good their escape.