Four days on, 6-yr-old Aditi yet to be traced

VISAKHAPATNAM: There is no trace of six-year-old Ch Sai Lavanya Aditi even four days after her reported fall in a drain after a heavy rain. The girl is suspected to have been swept away in the drain at HB Colony on Thursday. Rescue teams have thus far failed to trace the missing girl. Child rights activists however blame the police for not expanding their purview of investigation to include the angle of suspected kidnap and murder.
While appreciating the efforts of the district administration and the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, Bala Vikas Foundation founding-secretary Narava Prakasa Rao said, "No clues have been found during the search operation in the last four days. The police could not find school bag or shoes. It is a mysterious case and requires thorough investigation. The police should also probe the case from a possible kidnap and murder angle."
Prakasa Rao questioned the silence of the district educational officer over the incident. It is irresponsible on the part of the staff at the education centre to allow the girl to go out when it is raining heavily.
AP Balala Hakkula Sangham president Anuradha Rao demanded that the tuition classes centre owner should be held responsible for the missing of the girl. While accusing GVMC of negligence, she felt that the tuition centre owner is equally responsible for that tragic incident. Anuradha Rao demanded that the tuition centre owner's alleged role should be probed. "Action should be taken against the staff if they were found quilty," she added.
"It is not correct to take a six-year-old girl into private tuition class. It is the responsibility of the tuition centre owner to ensure the safety of the children," Anuradha Rao said.
State Commission for Protection of Child Rights for AP and Telangana member Achyutha Rao said the Visakhapatnam district administration seems to have paid attention only on the search operation in the drainage network. "If she drowned, she must have been traced somewhere by this Sunday, but it did not happen. The authorities concerned should also focus on some other angles. The commission is planning to send notice to the Visakhapatnam district collector after waiting for one more day," Achyutha Rao told TOI.
Achyutha Rao said as per the Right to Education Act 2000, students of Class VIII and above are eligible for tuition classes after school hours. But in the case of Aditi, the parents violated the rules by sending her to the tuition class.
Vizag police commissioner Amit Garg said, "The girl is not traced yet. We are also focusing on other angles in our investigation." Police sources revealed that an eight class student, who is said to have accompanied Aditi in the car, was questioned by the police.
The MVP zone police, who registered 'missing case', said the whereabouts of Aditi are not known. Municipal commissioner Pravin Kumar said "We could not trace the girl on Sunday too despite massive search operation along the coast."