Maoists, police gear up for martyrs week

The banned CPI (Maoist) observes martyrs week from July 28 to August 3 to pay tributes to its slain leaders and cadres and concentrates more on recruitment and organising meetings during this period. But this year's martyrs week might be different. Violent incidents might be witnessed on the border with Orissa and Chattisgarh where the Maoists are strong.

The Maoists are keen to take revenge for killing of their top leaders Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad and Sakhamuri Appa Rao recently and party's Andhra Orissa Border Zone secretary Bhaskar and Orissa secretary Sunil said the same in a press release a few days ago.

This situation indicates that violence might be witnessed during the martyrs week. Generally during the bandhs organised by them, Maoists do not resort to violence but there were some incidents during the bandhs held in the past few months.

The Maoist action teams killed Vice-Chairman of the Zilla Praja Parishad and fired at a jeep carrying civilians and policemen near Chintapalli during May.

There were a few such stray incidents but major incidents might not take place in the Visakha Agency since the presence of Maoists is not seen much in the recent times and their militia is weak at present.

Also, all leaders of different political parties moved to the plain area fearing attacks on them during the martyrs week.

A few days ago all people's representatives, who have resigned at the direction of Maoists to protest the bauxite mining proposal held a rally at Paderu. But there is no assurance that the Maoists will avoid violence as their action teams are always on the look out for their targets.

The police are not taking chance in the Visakha Agency area and additional forces in good numbers have been despatched to the area.

The police seem to be determined not to allow the Maoists to conduct any programmes during the week, though they may not launch an offensive. Combing operations are reportedly on and a few days back, the Greyhounds of AP and Special Operations Group of Orissa Police have been able to disturb a gathering of 60 Maoists in Malkangiri forest area of Orissa.

Incidentally, this incident also indicated that the AP and Orissa police would conduct joint operations after a gap. AP Police could largely control the situation on their side of border but need support from the Orissa side where the Maoists have strengthened themselves.

It is mostly from the border areas of Orissa groups of Maoists cross the border, carry out an attack and retreat quickly.

This year the Maoists have reportedly constructed memorial pylons in the interior areas and unveil them along with those constructed last year but were not unveiled.