Even as the police claim that Maoists are losing ground and their activities have come down in Andhra Pradesh, the movement of extremist sympathisers in the capital region is worrying the intelligence agencies.
A couple of Maoist leaders had been arrested in the region in the recent past.
What caused consternation among the intelligence personnel was the observance of the 41st death anniversary of Maoist leader Surapaneni Janardhan in his native village Garikaparru of Thotlavallur mandal in Krishna district on Monday.
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Janardhan, a student of REC Warangal, took part in many revolutionary movements in the Telangana and Srikakulam areas. He was killed in an exchange of fire on July 25, 1975. He was also State Committee member of the People’s War Group (PWG).
Revolutionary poet Varavara Rao, Virasam State secretary Varalakshmi, and leaders V.V. Krishna Rao and Y. Venkateswara Rao attended the death anniversary.
It is learnt that the Maoist sympathisers are planning to observe the death anniversary of PWG leader and former MLA and MP Tarimela Nagi Reddi at Governorpet in Vijayawada on Thursday.
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A native of Anantapur district, Nagi Reddy was popularly known as ‘TN’. He died on July 28, 1976.
Activists of the Amaraveerula Bandhu Mitrula Committee, Virasam, and other like-minded parties, and Maoist sympathisers are likely to attend the programme.
Martyr’s Week
Meanwhile, the CPI (Maoist) has given a call to observe Martyr’s Memorial Week from July 28 to August 4. As part of it, it proposes to organise meetings and protest against killing of extremists.
“Maoists will observe Martyr’s Memorial Week in the Agency areas, particularly on the Andhra Odisha Border (AOB), Telangana-Chhattisgarh border, and in the tribal hamlets of East Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts. Public representatives and bureaucrats who are on the hit list are cautioned against going in to villages without prior intimation,” a police officer said.