Members of the CPI (Maoist) torched four earth-moving equipment (two each in Nurmati and Pulusumamidi) in the G. Madugula mandal of Visakhapatnam Agency on Thursday night.
Visakhapatnam SP Rahul Dev Sharma said about 10 armed militia members visited the villages between 10.30 p.m. and 12 a.m. and torched the equipment parked on the outskirts. No one was hurt in the incident.
DIG of Visakhapatnam Range Ch. Srikanth said the earth movers were not engaged in road construction. They were being used by a contractor to lay the BSNL’s optic fibre cable. “Maoists generally destroy equipment used for laying roads. Their action could be intentional or even a mistake,” he said.
What is worrying the police is the timing and location of the action. Nurmati and Pulusumamidi are close to Vakapalli, the village that grabbed national attention after the September 1 Supreme Court order calling for the speedy trial of 13 police personnel from the State accused of gang rape.
A few senior officers feel the Maoists are sending out a message, endorsing their support for the rape victims.
A bait?
The torching of the equipment is the biggest incident in recent times. The last such incident was reported in the Pedabayalu region six months ago. The latest action indicates the increased presence of Maoists in the area after monsoon.
A senior police officer said the incident could also be a bait to lure the forces into the forest for a probable ambush. The police are aware of the presence of a few top leaders such as central committee member Chalapathi and Gajarla Ravi or Uday, in charge of the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee.
