Even as the Visakha Agency started sensing the increased tension ahead of banned Maoist party's People's Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) week celebrations starting on December 2, the police found a camp of Maoists at Golluru on the border with Koraput district in Odisha and Vizianagaram district.
Golluru is a village just 20 km from tourist centre Araku Valley and neither the AP police nor the Odisha police were aware that the Maoists were active there, Superintendent of Police Koya Praveen said while talking to reporters at Paderu on Saturday night. Maoist activity there would be curtailed soon with Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Koraput police taking up combined combing operations, Dr. Praveen said.
“Golluru is in a valley and hence we did not suspect (about Maoist activities there). Vizianagaram and Koraput police too did not have information. We understand that the entire Maoist cadre in Andhra-Odisha border zone is camping there," he said.
Earlier, he discussed with PO of ITDA P. Vinaychand works under IPA programme of the Central Government.
Situation in the Agency is tense as combing operation has been stepped up and vehicles were being checked at several points, following an attack on CRPF men near Chintagufa in Sukma district in Chattisgarh on Friday and expectation that the Maoists would cross over to Visakha Agency after the attack.
On Sunday, DIG of Malkangiri Jaswant Jaswa made an aerial survey of the border with Andhra. He alerted the BSF camps and said operations would be coordinated with Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh police.
While five Chattisgarh and CRPF men were injured in the attack, two more, including an IAF gunner was injured when the Maoists fired at a helicopter that was picking up the injured. The helicopter managed to take off and landed at Sukma. From there the injured were sent to Raipur by another helicopter.
