Be wary of landmines, police advise tribal people

The district police here on Saturday cautioned the residents of a few tribal villages in the interior parts of the Agency area to be alert to the landmines that might have probably been planted by the banned CPI (Maoist).

PLGA Week

The Left Wing Extremist (LWE) organisation is observing the People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) Week from December 2, and it is feared that it may try to step up violence during the period.

“We have concrete information that the Maoists have planted landmines on the hillocks near the hamlets of Salebulu, Nanubari, Chintalaveedhi, Jamiguda and Sariapalli, all located in Pedabayalu and Munchingput mandals,” said Superintendent of Police, Visakhapatnam, B. Krishna Rao.

In the last week of August, two tribal people, who were grazing their cattle at Chintalaveedhi, were killed when they accidentally stepped on a landmine planted by the Maoists.

“Keeping this in mind, we urge the tribal people of these areas not to venture onto the hillocks unless and until we pinpoint the location and send our bomb disposal squad to diffuse the landmines,” Mr. Krishna Rao said.

Since the security forces have stepped up the offensive in the interior parts and have intensified the combing and area domination exercise, the Maoists have reportedly planted the landmines either to target them or force them to halt their operations in the area, say sources in the police department.