Four fake Naxalites arrested for kidnapping, extortion in Mahabubabad

Four fake Naxalites, who claimed that they were followers of Maoist leader Haribhushanam, kidnapped an iron merchant from Kothagudem district and demanded a ransom of Rs 20 lakh

Mahabubabad: The Central Crime Station (CCS) police along with Bayyaram police on Thursday arrested four fake Naxalites who were involved in a kidnapping and extortion case in the name of Maoists.

Mahabubabad incharge DSP Ramana Babu said former Praja Prathi Ghatana (PPG) dalam commander Uppunutala Muthaiah of Sitarampuram village of Khammam district, former PPG militant Pasula Lingaiah of Bayyaram, legal organizer of the party Nimmala Lingaiah, and mason Bathula Ramakrishna of Ballepally from Khammam district had formed a gang in the last December.

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“They kidnapped an iron merchant Yadagiri Reddy from Yellandu of Kothagudem district in December last year and demanded a ransom of Rs 20 lakh from him claiming they were followers of Maoist leader Haribhushanam,” the DSP said. It said alleged they had threatened him with an air gun and called Yadagiri Reddy’s son Karthik Reddy.

“Following this, Rs 1.25 lakh ransom was paid. They also threatened him of dire consequences, if he reveals the matter to the police,” the DSP said. However, after mustering courage, Yadagiri Reddy approached the Bayyaram police on Wednesday and lodged a complaint with them seeking action against the extortionists.

“In order to nab the gang, a special police team was formed to nab the gang members. As a part of this, the police team was checking vehicles at Bayyaram on Thursday and took four people on two bikes as they were moving suspiciously. During the questioning, the police have come to know that they are the fake Naxalites who kidnapped Yadagiri Reddy,” the DSP said. The police have also sized one air pistol, four cell phones, two bikes and Rs 1.25 lakh from them.