A large number of tribals staged a protest at Munchingputtu on Sunday against the CPI(Maoists) alleging that the Naxalites attacked a tribal woman at Gobarapada village in the Visakhapatnam district..
According to the police, the victim Vanthala Sombari, is the wife of Vanthala Ramachandra alias Arjun, a former militia member from Gobarapada in Rangabayulu panchayat of Munchingputtu mandal.
The police said Ramachandra had worked as militia member for the last four years. Later due to health issues, he kept himself away from the Maoist activities for several months, they said. The Maoists reportedly suspected that Ramachandra has joined hands with the police and started to work as a police informer.
On the night of June 30, a group of militia members went to Gobarapada in search of Ramachandra. As he was unavailable, they allegedly beaten his wife Sombari. They also ordered the family to leave the village.
Based on the complaint from Ms. Sombari and his family members, the Munchingputtu police registered a case on July 3.
The tribals said that the Maoists have no right to order them to vacate the villages. The protestors alleged that there were around 40 families from interior villages of Munchingputtu mandal, who had vacated the villages due to harassment from the Maoists.
