Extremism, trafficking haunt A.P. police

Maoists moving in AOB border and some parts of Vizag district, says DGP. The DGP said coastal security will be further strengthened by setting up 21 marine police stations in addition to the six existing police stations.

Director General of Police J.V. Ramudu has said the Police Department has been making all out efforts to curb extremist menace in the State, but Maoist movement was still persisting in some parts.

The police arrested 75 Naxalites while 93 others surrendered during 2014. Over a dozen crimes with involvement of Maoists were reported during the year in which four civilians were killed. At the same time, tribals revolted against Maoists and lynched two of them in Visakhapatnam district, he said.

Elaborating on the crime situation in the last one year at a press conference here on Monday, the DGP said the presence of CPI (ML) Maoists and other groups was seen on Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB), parts of Visakhapatnam, and five mandals of Khammam that were merged with East and West Godavari districts.

Five Maoists were shot dead in exchange of fire in different places and the police seized 17 weapons from their possession.

PD Act invoked

As regards the red sanders smuggling, Mr. Ramudu said 3,393 smugglers, including 1,362 from Andhra Pradesh and 2,031 from other States, were arrested and PD Act was invoked against 40 smugglers. Police seized 404 vehicles involved in illegal transport of 128tonnes of red sanders logs. A Joint Special Task Force team had been constituted with the Police and Forest departments to check smuggling.

The DGP said coastal security will be further strengthened by setting up 21 marine police stations in addition to the six existing police stations.

The Anti Human Trafficking (AHT) wing of the Police Department rescued 369 victims, including 12 minors being trafficked from various places to the neighbouring states. Police apprehended 648 persons involved in trafficking, said Mr. Ramudu while praising the good work done by the AHT.

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) probed important cases like leakage of PG Medical question papers, misappropriation of funds in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and illicit liquor, he added.

Additional Directors General of Police N.V. Surendra Babu, V.S. Kaumudi, A.B. Venkateswara Rao, Ch. Dwaraka Tirumala Rao and A.R. Anuradha were present.