HYDERABAD, 10 July 2005 — Four Maoists belong to two different outfits were killed in gunbattles with police in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh yesterday.
A police spokesman said two members of CPI-ML Janashakti were killed and six others fled when police opened fire on them near a village in Polavaram area of West Godavari district. Police said they recovered seven weapons but did not identify them.
In the Bhupalpally area in Warangal district, two members of Praja Pratighatana group were killed when police stormed their hide-out at a farmer’s house in the early hours. On specific information, a CRPF team led by the local sub-inspector raided the house and asked the Maoists to surrender. They opened fire on the police who retaliated, killing the extremists Suresh and Hanumanthu on the spot. Police recovered three weapons — two carbines and a country-made 9mm pistol.
On Friday, police seized an arms cache and cash and other valuables worth 4.4 million rupees and arrested three Maoists, including a woman, belonging to the Pratighatana group on the outskirts of Hyderabad.
Director-General of Police Swaranjit Sen told newsmen that the arms and assets seized from the extremists hide-out located in a luxury house in Meerpet area of L.B. Nagar included 50 gelatin sticks, one .38 country-made revolver with six rounds, cash and jewelry worth 4.4 million rupees.
Meanwhile, 10 Maoists surrendered in Dhanbad district of the eastern Jharkhand state yesterday. Police said the guerrillas surrendered in Muniadih village, but did not carry any weapons. Maoists are active in 18 of the state’s 22 districts. Nearly 510 people, including 210 policemen, have been killed in Maoist insurgency since the creation of Jharkhand in 2000.
