Kothagudem: Two Maoists killed in encounter in Puttapadu forest

Kothagudem: Two Maoists were killed in an exchange of fire between the police and Maoists in Cherla mandal in the district on Sunday. The incident took place in the Puttapadu forest in the mandal on the borders of Telangana-Chhattisgarh borders when the Greyhounds forces were conducting combing operations.

Police identified one body as that of Cherla LOS Commander Rajesh alias Madakam Yerraiah and the other body is yet to be identified. Police recovered one SLR and other materials on the spot. They shifted the bodies to the Government area hospital Bhadrachalam for autopsy.

Meanwhile, the CPI (Maoist) Bhadradri-Kothagudem Alluri Seetha Ramaraju division committee secretary Azad condemned the encounter. In a statement, he said it was a fake encounter by the police.

The exchange of fire occurred two days after Telangana Police chief Anjani Kumar warned the police force against complacency in tackling Maoists, especially in areas bordering neighbouring states having the Maoist presence.

The Director General of Police (DGP) had called upon the police personnel not to lower their guard in the wake of killing of 10 security personnel and one civilian in a landmine blast in South Bastar of Chhattisgarh on April 26. He had told the police personnel that even a small incident relating to law and order in the state may have a severe impact on the development of Telangana state. Keeping this in view, the police officers should be more vigilant and tackle the situation firmly.

The DGP said that in the background of approaching Assembly elections, the officials have to take adequate precautions in terms of security during the visits of political dignitaries and VVIPs movement in the state. Stating that there is a possibility of the movement of Maoist action teams increasing in the border areas of the state, he advised the officials to be more cautious.