Tension prevailed for a brief while at Moravapalle village of B. Kothakota mandal, near Madanapalle, on Sunday afternoon when a group of about 30 youth reportedly took to playing cricket defying the appeal of the local revenue officials to cooperate with the Janata Curfew mooted to fight against COVID-19, besides allegedly misbehaving with an official.
According to information, Tehsildar of B. Kothakota mandal Hari Kumar was inspecting the rural villages to supervise the Janata Curfew. Following information that a huge crowd had gathered at Moravapalle village to attend a funeral ceremony, the official left for the village to prompt the gathering to maintain social distance. When the official reached the village accompanied by a couple of revenue staff, he found a group of youth playing cricket at a nearby vacant place.
When Mr. Kumar asked the youth to disperse, the latter allegedly used abusive language at him, and reportedly intimidated him to leave the place. The upset official reported the matter to the local police at B. Kothakota. By the time, a police rushed to the village, the youth dispersed. As the village was under ‘Janata Curfew’, the police had to return without making any further inquiry.
Mr. Kumar told the media that the youth using abusive language pained him a lot, when he made a request with them to cooperate with the Janata Curfew. “Several of them are engineering students. I have reported the matter to the police,” he said.
The sub-inspector of B. Kothakota confirming the episode said that as and when information had reached him from the Tehsildar, the police personnel rushed there, but seeing the police the youth fled. The issue would be further looked into, the police officer said.
