VIJAYAWADA: Volga Archery Academy founder Cherukuri Satyanarayana continued his indefinite hunger strike at New Government General Hospital (GGH) on Wednesday. Satyanarayana launched his fast on Tuesday in front of his son and late archer Lenin’s tomb in Gunadala, refuting the allegations levelled by international archer V Jyothi Surekha and demanding an apology from her.
Despite having been shifted to the hospital by police, he continued his protest. Extending solidarity to her husband’s protest, Krishna Kumari also launched an agitation at the academy premises. Sports associations, irrespective of their affiliations, backed Satyanarayana’s protest and came down heavily on Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) officials for remaining a mute spectator to the issue.
‘’Satyanarayana has never desired for a share in cash incentives won by his students. Indeed he supported them in all ways. The SAAP officials are to blame for whatever injustice was done to Surekha as they are behind earlier order giving a share in the cash incentive to Satyanarayana. But in this case, Satyanarayana made the scapegoat for the mistake made by SAAP officials,’’ said a member of AP Olympic Association on condition of anonymity.
“Surekha had betrayed me by describing me as her warden but not coach. She should tender an apology to me by Thursday evening or else I will commit suicide,’’ Satyanarayana said. However, Surekha and her father Surendra Kumar didn’t respond to his demand.