Three Maoist militia members arrested in Kothagudem

Kothagudem: Three CPI (Maoist) militia members, who were engaged in planting landmines and pressure bombs, were arrested by police in Pusuguppa forests in Cherla mandal in the district on Friday. Superintendent of Police, Dr. Vineeth G told media here that the militia members were arrested during combing operations by the district police and CRPF personnel. […]

Kothagudem: Three CPI (Maoist) militia members, who were engaged in planting landmines and pressure bombs, were arrested by police in Pusuguppa forests in Cherla mandal in the district on Friday. Superintendent of Police, Dr. Vineeth G told media here that the militia members were arrested during combing operations by the district police and CRPF personnel.

The arrested militia members were identified as Madvi Unga, Kovasi Idma and Madvi Unga of Usur tahsil of Bijapur district in neighbouring Chhattisgarh State. They were working as the militia members of Pujari Kanker Revolutionary People’s Committee (RPC) for the past three years.

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Acting at the directions of Maoist leaders they used to extort money, party funds from tribal families, collect essential commodities and vegetables from tribals, and mobilise tribals for the Maoist meetings, the SP said.

They were also engaged in tipping off Maoist leaders about the police combing parties’ movements, besides planting landmines, pressure bombs and setting up booby traps in podu lands and forests on Chhattisgarh-Telangana borders targetting the police.

The arrested have set up over 100 booby traps in the forests bordering Pusuguppa in December 2020 to target the police. This year they have planted pressure mines in the forests close to the newly established CRPF camp at Pusuguppa.

Because of pressure mines three cows owned by adivasis died and two injured. As a result the tribals feared to take their cattle for grazing in the forests and cultivate their podu lands. Panicked at the Maoists’ mindless acts, tribals were approaching police.

Police and CRPF forces were appreciated for treating injured cows and providing compensation for the dead cattle. Strict action would be taken against the Maoists, who were undermining the lives of tribals and their cattle, Dr. Vineeth said.