Two days before Kadamba exchange of fire, Maoist squad escaped from cotton fields

However, two extremists died in the exchange of fire on Saturday night

September 20, 2020 11:34 pm | Updated 11:34 pm IST - HYDERABAD

A squad of armed Maoists escaped from police special parties in Chilatipally of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district two days before the exchange of fire in Kadamba forest left two of its members dead on Saturday night.

On a tip-off that Maoists were spotted on the fringes of Chilatipally village, commandos of Greyhounds and other special police teams combing the area rushed there on Thursday evening. “By the time our teams reached there, the armed Maoists were moving in the cotton crop fields,” a police officer supervising the operation said on Sunday. The police parties wanted to open fire at the Maoists. “There were women and minors working in the cotton fields. Our actions would have endangered their lives. Hence, we observed restraint,” the police officer said. As it was dark following sunset, the Maoist squad managed to flee taking advantage of the darkness, he said.

It is not yet confirmed but the police believe CPI-Maoist Telangana State Committee member Bhaskar alias Adellu, who managed to give a slip to the police in three instances of exchanges of fire earlier recently, was in the cotton fields. It is surmised that the squad led by Adellu got divided into two teams following the narrow escape at Chilatipally and disappeared into the forests. While Adellu and others went in one direction, two other Maoists came towards Kadamba forest in Kagaznagar sub-division of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district. An exchange of fire took place between these two Maoists and the police parties in Kadamba forest on Saturday evening.

“Another Maoist sustained injuries but managed to flee the place,” Ramagundam Police Commissioner and SP in-charge of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district V. Satyanarayana said after visiting the exchange of fire spot on Sunday morning. It happened in Izgam police station area of Kagaznagar rural circle. The two slain Maoists were identified as Chukkalu and Bajir Rao alias Ramu. The latter was in his early 20s and hailed from Laxmipur village of Neredigonda mandal in Adilabad district. He is reportedly newly recruited, reportedly after Adellu entered the district three to four months ago to revive the party base in the region.

Baji Rao’s body was handed over to his family after autopsy. The second Maoist Chukkalu, aged about 23 years, was from Gongugudem of Pamedu in Bijapur district of Chattisgarh. He is believed to have joined the CPI-Maoist in 2018 as member of Mangi-Indravelli area committee. He came as member of a squad led by Adellu to Asifabad three months ago and since then was moving in the area.

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