HYDERABAD, 16 January 2005 — A fragile peace in the Maoists-dominant areas of Andhra Pradesh was shattered with the killing of six rebels in two encounters in Prakasam and Mahbubnagar districts yesterday. Police sounded an alert all over the state following the killings.
Three Maoists were killed in Prakasam district and the other three in Mahbubnagar district. Giving details of the incident, Prakasam police chief Mahesh Chandra Ludda said the incident occurred between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. near Chintala village in the Dornala area. On information that the Maoists were moving in the area, a police party was sent to Peddachima village from Chintala. Near Chintala, the Maoists fired on the police.
“Our constables warned them not to fire and to surrender. Instead, they continued firing. Police fired back in self-defense. The exchange of gunfire continued for 15 minutes. The police party found the bodies of three Naxalites, including a woman, after the firing ceased. Five weapons and five bags and a claymore mine were found on the dead,” Ludda told Arab News by telephone.
The second incident occurred between 2 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. at Bukkalingayapalli village in Mahbubnagar district. Superintendent of Police Vikram Singh Mann said a police party was on its way to the village to investigate reports of extortions by Maoists. On seeing the police, the Naxalites started firing on them. Police returned fire, killing three rebels, including a woman. Five firearms and five bags were recovered from the scene.
On Friday night, activists belonging to the CPI-Marxist-Leninist (Janashakti group) shot dead the Congress village head of Rudrangi in Chandurthi area in Karimnagar district. Armed Maoists barged into the house of Ganga Raj Lingaiah, marched him to the outskirts of the village and pumped three bullets into him. Lingaiah died on the spot.
