Maoist suspects arrested in Vijayawada following Maredumilli encounter

In a significant operation, Maoist leader Madvi Hidma was killed during an encounter with security forces in the Sitaramaraju district, specifically within the Maredumilli forest area. The fierce engagement resulted in the deaths of six Maoists, including Hidma's wife, Raji, as well as followers Malla, Deve, Chelluri Narayana, and Tech Shankar.

In the aftermath of this encounter, police apprehended a suspicious woman in Penumaluru, Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh. Additionally, eight more suspects were arrested by Octopus forces in Kotha Autonagar.

Preliminary reports suggest that these individuals, all likely to be from Chhattisgarh, may be Maoist sympathisers. Authorities have indicated that there are weapons stored in the building where these suspects were living, raising concerns about their potential involvement with the insurgent group.