Tales of Love

By Desaraju Surya
Vijayawada: These are "love stories" of a different kind. Different in the sense that the love is more physical than emotional. There is no meeting of the hearts, clearly. And it's nothing but infatuation at best. These tales also reflect on a disturbing trend emerging in Vijayawada city of late. A 16-year-old daughter of a senior railway officer "falls" for a 21-year-old home-guard. After the initial sight exchange programme, they embark on a sight-seeing mission to various parts of the state. The girl sells her jewellery to meet the expenses for the "pleasure trip." The both elope from Vijayawada and roam around the city for two months before returning home "safely." The girl's parents meanwhile do the rounds of the police station seeking police help to trace their missing daughter. A 14-year-old girl studying in class IX in a local school, robs Rs 3000 in cash and jewellery worth Rs 20,000 from her house to elope with her lover, an apprentice painter. The pair goes off on a joy trip to places like Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad, enjoys a week and returns home quietly. In another case, an 18-year-old girl from a well-to-do family escapes from home with her 20-year-old lover boy and returns after a week of "honeymoon." The boys sells away his motorbike to please his sweetheart and give her company for a week. "These are only a few cases. Every month we come across at least three such cases of 'girl missing.' In the end, however, no case is registered as the girls go out on their own will," pointed out a station house officer. Such cases are reported in good number in police stations like Satyanarayanapuram, Machavaram, Suryaraopet and Governorpet in the heart of Vijayawada city. Interestingly, the number of such cases registered is high in winter and low in summer, the SHO observed. While the girls' parents spend sleepless nights, anxious over their kids whereabouts, the teenagers are clearly not perturbed. "For them nothing else probably matters. They just want to enjoy life. These days they are influenced a lot by cinema, television and also the Internet," a senior police official said. The police are finding it difficult to deal with such cases. There is no information whatsoever coming forth from the girls' parents. "The parents believe their kids are innocent. But our investigations reveal a different story," the police official said. Even after the girls return, no concrete case could be registered as there is no formal complaint. Most cases end up in "compromise." For example, a 19-year-old girl started an illicit relationship with a 38-year-old man a few months ago. She is now pregnant for three months. The man has a 14-year-old son as well. Following a squabble, the man was arrested and now the man's wife herself wants to settle for a "compromise" as her husband would take care of the teenager as well. "Once the two parties agree for a compromise, there is hardly anything we can do about it," the police say.