With the CPI (Maoist) observing the first anniversary of the Ramaguda encounter in which many of its cadres perished in the Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) area on October 24 last year, the police have sounded high alert in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and other Naxalite-dominated States.
Intelligence officials have said that the Maoists may resort to major retaliation in the next few days, and cautioned the police to be on high alert.
In a joint operation last year, the elite anti-Naxalite forces of the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha police had gunned down 30 Maoists under the Chitrakonda Police Station limits in Malkangiri district.
A senior commando of the AP Greyhounds, Mohammad Abubakar, was killed in the encounter.
About 100 Maoists had assembled in the Ramaguda area near the Balimela reservoir for a plenary on October 22. The A.P. and Odisha police, who had prior information on the meeting, cordoned the area and, in an exchange of fire, 25 Maoists, including a few top leaders, had been killed. The combing operation that continued for the next few days led to the gunning down of a few more cadres, taking the toll to 30.
The then CPI (Maoist) Central Committee member, Akkiraju Haragopal alias Ramakrishna alias RK, had escaped, but his son Munna was among those killed. A few injured Naxalites managed to escape into the Dandakaranyam forests in Chhattisgarh.
After the encounter, the Maoists had killed 25 CRPF jawans at Sukma in Chhattisgarh in April this year.
Speaking to The Hindu , Director-General of Police (DGP) N. Sambasiva Rao said a high alert had been sounded in Andhra Pradesh and on the State’s borders in Telangana and Odisha.
Retaliatory acts
“Naxalites killed 19 civilians in Odisha and two in Andhra Pradesh after receiving a major blow in Malkangiri district last year. In Andhra Pradesh, the Maoists killed a home guard, Shaik Dadavali, in May this year by triggering a landmine,” the DGP said.
“All the police stations located in the areas where the Left Wing Extremism is strong have been put on alert, and officers and public representatives on hit list have been asked not to go into the interior areas and move alone,” he said.
