An infant, born just four days ago, miraculously survived the clash in Vadditandra village where almost 50 houses were reduced to ashes when the police hurled smoke bombs to quell the riotous mobs protesting the setting up of a thermal plant by East Coast Energy Private Ltd.
The infant, yet to be named, is the child of Kalyani and Shankar Anand, the latter a driver in Itchapuram. Ms. Kalyani who came to her parent's home in Vadditandra for the delivery had a horrendous experience as tension had been haunting the village for the last one week.
Luckily for her, the delivery of the baby boy was normal, quite in contrast with the abnormal conditions in the village. Kalyani and her mother Ratnalu did not dare to stir out of their house on Monday as the police were firing relentlessly and resorting to repeated lathicharge. Both women did their best to protect the baby from the sound of heavy gunfire.
However, the safety of their house was short-lived as it caught fire after police began indiscriminately hurling smoke bombs. The womenfolk had locked themselves inside the house and it took them some time to realise that the house was on fire. Clutching the baby, Ms. Kalyani and Ms. Ratnalu ran for their lives.
Though the lives of all the three were saved, the baby bawled in agony as the heat generated by the burning house, which was finally gutted, damaged his skin and turned it reddish. To compound matters, there was no medical aid as police had beaten up a local RMP doctor Srinivasa Rao when he tried to enter the village. “I am too weak to breast-feed the child. Milk powder tins were also damaged in the gutted house. Such misery should not befall any child,” said Ms. Kalyani. Mr. Shankar Anand said, “I reached here from Itchapuram with much difficulty after knowing that the house was destroyed. Luckily, my baby is safe. He is the only ray of hope for our family.”
