Parents of Teddu Lakshmi – a schoolgirl who had gone missing from October 14, were shattered as material evidence pointed out that it was their daughter's mortal remains that were found at the cremation ground at Baji junction here on Monday night.The skull, bones, and hair were found in a dilapidated building located in a corner of the cremation ground which was not being used.
Her school books, uniform, hair clips, and lunch carrier were found nearby. The gruesome murder, the “callous attitude” of the police and the “negligence” of the school management were the subjects of discussion among women and men, who gathered in large numbers at Baji junction and Susarla Colony on Tuesday morning. Lakshmi (10) a class 5 student in Sri Shanti Niketan Vidyalayam at Baji junction, was the only daughter of Narayana Rao and Appalakonda. Her brothers are studying in a different school.
Narayana Rao, a native of S. Kota in Vizianagaram district, is employed with the Railways in the city. “He shifted his family to the city only one and a half year ago so that his children could have better education. Before that, he used to come all the way to the city for work,” said his colleague P.V. Narayana Rao.
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“The abandoned ground is being used by anti-social elements,” said G. Satyananda Rao, another colleague.
“A holiday was declared for the school today, but no one from the management turned up to meet the parents,” women were heard saying as they marched towards the school to stage a protest.
“These private schools call up parents even if there is a little delay in payment of tuition fee but fail to inform when our children don't attend school,” said a woman.
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A sniffer dog went up to the ‘pani puri' stall nearby and stopped. It was said that some youths, who used to visit the stall regularly, stopped coming after the girl went missing.
Police Commissioner J. Purnachandra Rao and Assistant Commissioner of Police (North) U. Ravi Prakash visited the scene of crime.
“Experts from the Forensic Department have gathered evidence and based on their report the cause of death will be established,” Mr. Purnachandra Rao said.