Students in Patna protest against kidnapping

    Patna: Students in Patna continued protests against the abduction of a missing colleague even as the search for Nirmalendu Diwakar entered its 23rd day on Wednesday. 15-year-old Diwakar alias Bunty was abducted in broad daylight from his car on January 17. Bunty is a student of class nine at a school in Patna and was going back home with his driver when kidnappers smashed the window of the car, pulling out the driver and speeding away to an unknown destination with the child. Police said they were trying hard to track the abductors but the children were not satisfied. "We want to save Bunty. So that we don't meet the same fate. We are living a very scared life. We can't even go and play. We can also become the next Bunty and we want to tell the Government to do something," said Farha, a student of International School, Patna. Teachers said it was time for the people to stand up and act. "We don't need assurances now. We just want Bunty back. It's been 22 days. Children are on a relay fast. Schools are taking turns to form a human chain. I want you to know that the students are playing their innings, when will the society begin its contribution?" said Vinod Singh, Director of Oxygen, a non- government organisation.

    After a new Government took over in November last year, over 60 abductions have been reported forcing the state High Court to order a report from the Nitish Kumar government by February 14. Lawyers, doctors and wealthy businessmen have been the prime target of extortionists in the State and hundreds have over the years migrated to safer places or sent their children to boarding schools. Businessmen allege a nexus between kidnappers, local politicians and the State police. Analysts say the situation is so grave that over 10,000 small and big businessmen have fled the State, shrinking the states' already impoverished economy to abysmal depths.

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