SRIKAKULAM: In yet another incident of agents defrauding job seekers, a local agent duped 17 fishermen from Manchineellapeta village of Vajrapukotturu mandal by promising jobs in Kuwait.
After collecting `40,000 from each fisherman, the job agent arranged tourist visas instead of work permits for them. However, the fishermen came to knew about it before their scheduled departure to Kuwait. But, the job agent had fled.
According to victims, one Murali from Pundi is a job agent working for manpower consultancies in abroad. “I gave the agent `35,000 at his house in Pundi in March after he told me that my visa to Kuwait had been confirmed. I got into his trap when he demanded only `35,000, promising me a job in Kuwait, while the other agents are charging `60,000 for the same.
I borrowed the money from my friends,” said said Komara Joga Rao, a victim from Manchineellapeta, adding that the job agent promised him a labourer’s job saying that it would fetch not less than `30,000 thousand a month.
After validating the documents in the websites, the fishermen came to know that the document arranged for them were tourist visas. They went to Pundi seeking return of their money from Murali. But, the job agent promised them to set things right in a week and believing him, the victims returned.
Recently, the victims came to know that Murali, along with his family members, have already fled. The fishermen alleged that Murali have collected money from many people from Gurandhi, Gusani, Mechumara, Manchineellapeta, Humumpeta, Nowpada, Kotabommali, Ichchpauram, Kanchili and a few villages in Odisha.
“I gave Murali `35,000 in March prior to getting my visa. He collected out resumes and passports in February. Our travel to Kuwait was scheduled for March 17,” said Ch Papa Rao, another victim.
As the news spread, many victims gathered and brought the issue to the notice of police just three days ago.
“Murali has trapped 17 fishermen from this village. But, people say that he lured more than 100 people from Srikakulam district and the bordering villages in Odisha,” said Manchineellapeta sarpanch Chinna Rao.
Vajrapukotturu sub-inspector CH Prasad confirmed that the police compalints were lodged three days ago and they have launched a manhunt to nab Murali.
TTD Kalyana mandap manager in ACB net
Srikakulam: The Anti-corruption Bureau sleuths conducted raids on a TTD Kalyana Mandap office in Srikakulam on Friday and seized unaccounted cash of J50,000 from the manager’s table. ACB DSP K Rajendra said TTD Srikakulam branch manager Pandiri Kurmeswara Rao, who supervises the functioning of eight TTD Kalyna Mandaps in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts allegedly have collected bribes from flower decorators, electricians and suppliers.
He used to collect J5,000 from each electrician, J2,000 from flower decorators and J1,000 from suppliers of chairs and utensils for each marriage being organised at the Kalyana Mandaps. DSP also said that the manager used to collect the amounts in advance from contractors.
An electrical contractor for Rajam Kalyana Mandapa, Gouri Naidu came to the TTD office at Srikakulam on Friday and offered J50,000 to the manager prior to the ACB conducted the raids at around 2 pm. Gouri Naidu told police that that he gave J60,000 in February and another J25,000 in March to the manager. The manager will be produced before the ACB court, the DSP said.
Woman run over by lorry, locals blame it on cop
Visakhapatnam: A 48-year old woman died on the spot after she was ran over by a lorry laden with gas cylinders, after she fell off a bike being driven by her husband in Gajuwaka area on Friday morning. However, the locals claimed that the accident happened after a traffic constable allegedly removed the motorcycle key before it stopped, which led to the skidding of the bike. The woman was identified as Padma (48), a resident of Malkapuram.
According to sources, Anand Rao and his wife Padma were going to Pendurthi to a temple. A traffic constable, identified as P Naidu, stopped the regular traffic to allow the industrial vehicle to pass. However, a 16-tyre industrial heavy vehicle collided with the bike and Anand Rao fell to his left side, while Padma fell before tyres and was run over.
Eyewitness claimed that the traffic constable, pulled out the key of the slow bike all of a sudden. The locals came in huge number and thrashed the traffic constable. Senior officials reached the spot and controlled the situation. Senior police officials said they would investigate and take action on the traffic constable, if he was at fault. Naidu was shifted to a hospital.