Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Naxalites loot three houses in famine raid

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR APRIL 23. In a famine raid, naxalites belonging to the People's War and their sympathisers looted three houses at M. Bandameedipalli of Rapthadu mandal, 25 km from here, in Anantapur district in the wee hours of Wednesday. According to the victims, the naxalites took away valuables and grains worth Rs. 15 lakhs.

About 200 persons, including the armed naxalites belonging to a newly-formed dalam for the Rapthadu area and the sympathisers, came in four tractors in plainclothes, said the villagers. The sympathisers, too, were armed with weapons such as sickles, hunting sickles and lathis, they said.

At 2 a.m. they blocked all the four ways into the village by placing bullock carts across and keeping sentries for surveillance. They split into three groups and raided the houses of Musali Reddy, Chandra Reddy and Shyamkumar Chowdary simultaneously.

While the raid was on, some members went round the village in a tractor interacting with leaders of three groups participating in the raid through wireless systems and issuing the necessary directions.

When a group of villagers gathered at one point the naxalites dispersed them by hurling bombs.

In all, the naxalites took away 800 grams of gold, about Rs. 2 lakhs in cash, promissory notes worth Rs. 5 lakhs, 60 bags of paddy, 15 bags of ragi (finger millet), 40 bags of groundnut and 40 bags of rice besides clothes from the three families.

They damaged two motorcycles. The promissory notes pertained to loans given to the poor in the village.

Along with the four tractors they brought the naxalites took away another tractor belonging to Govindappa. They went towards Bhoginepalli.

Musali Reddy and Chandra Reddy said that the naxalites had warned them earlier to give away the assignment of lands held by them to the poor as they had large landholding.

The police did not visit the village till the afternoon. The naxalites had conducted an open court in the village a few days ago.

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