Seven maoists killed in Andhra Police encounter, including three women

In yet another gun battle seven Maoists, including three women, were killed in Maredumilli forest of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday. One identified as Meturi Jokha Rao, a key Andhra-Odisha Border operative, specialised in arms, communications, and technical operations.

Kothagudem: Seven Maoists were killed in an encounter in Maredumilli forests in ASR district in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday.

It was rumoured that CPI (Maoist) Central Committee Secretary Tippiri Tirupathi alias Devji and Azad were among the dead. There were reportedly three women and four men among the killed naxals.

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Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) Mahesh Chandra Laddha confirmed the encounter and said complete details of the incident were yet to be received. The bodies were shifted to Rampachodvaram Area Hospital for identification and autopsy.

It might be noted that Maoist Central Committee Member (CCM), PLGA first battalion commander Madivi Hidma alias Hidmanna alias Santosh was killed along with his wife and four of his security team in Maredumilli forests on Tuesday.

Laddha told the media that nine members of the Maoist Party Secretary Devji’s security team were arrested in Vijayawada. They were among the 50 Maoist cadres arrested in NTR, Kakinada, Eluru and Konaseema districts.

There were three special zonal committee members, 23 platoon members, five divisional committee members and 19 area committee members among them.

An official statement from police said there were three women and four men among the killed naxals, including AOBSZC CCM in-charge Metturi Joga Rao alias Tech Shankar and DVCM, AOBSZC Sita alias Jyothi. It was not yet clear whether Devji was killed in the encounter or not.