Kothagudem cops intensify anti-naxal campaign

The details of Maoist sympathisers have been gathered and movements of the naxals were being watched closely to put a check on naxal violence in the district.

Kothagudem: The district police have intensified their campaign against the outlawed CPI (Maoist) Party and anti-naxal teams tracking Maoist movements in agency villages in the district.

Combing operations in the forests and agency villages have been scaled up, albeit with a caution to avoid loss to the lives of security forces. The details of Maoist sympathisers have been gathered and movements of the naxals were being watched closely to put a check on naxal violence in the district.

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Bhadrachalam ASP B Rohith Raj said wall posters with details of Maoists carrying cash rewards ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 20 lakh on their heads were being circulated in Adivasi villages following intelligence inputs on movements of Maoists on Telangana-Chhattisgarh State borders.

Officer on Special Duty (OSD), T Sai Manohar stated that Maoists, who lost their base in Telangana and were confined to Chhattisgarh, were making desperate attempts to prove their identity in the State. Adivasis were being murdered branding them as police informers.

Though many Maoists, who lost trust in Maoist ideology surrendered to police extending support for the development of agency villages, some were threatening and killing innocent Adivasis for their selfish needs. As part of that, a deputy sarpanch, Irpa Rama Rao was killed at Kurnapalli in Cherla, he said.

Manohar noted that the Maoist leader Azad lost the party top leadership’s faith and was rejected Telangana State secretary position though he aspired for it. Baffled with the developments in the party, he was targetting naïve Adivasis to establish his authority.
Azad does not have respect or love for Adivasis and he was responsible for the murder of the deputy sarpanch. Adivasis were waiting to avenge his death and sooner or later Azad would have to face their wrath, the OSD warned.

Meanwhile, Gundala Inspector of Police T Karunakar informed that awareness was being created among residents in agency villages about the atrocities being committed by naxals. The villagers were being trained to identify the Maoists on the prowl in the district and convey information on their movements to police.

Police informer and surveillance system has been strengthened and informants were given an offer of cash reward of Rs 5 to 10 lakh for the information about naxals. Similarly, steps were being taken to cut off supply of essential commodities and other material to Maoists.
Cordon and search has been conducted in all the villages checking for Maoist pamphlets, arms and other material. Wall posters have been distributed in the entire agency area, Karunakar noted.