Three leaders of CPI (Maoist) may have been among the 70-odd group of naxalites which held a meeting with villagers before an exchange of fire took place with the police in the forests between Vandrangipadu and Pinnalubasingi villages in G. Madugula mandal on Thursday morning.
The locals strongly believed that the two killed in the encounter were villagers. Maoist party's east division secretary Ganesh, secretaries of the Galikonda and Korukonda area committees Krishna and Narendra respectively were present at a meeting with villagers.
Caught in crossfire
The villagers were returning from the meeting when they were caught in the cross fire between Maoists and the police that lasted for three hours. Vandalam Appa Rao of Yesteru village under Killamkota Panchayat and Kodabu Tellanna Padal of Vandrangipadu under Lovasingi Panchayat were killed while the Maoists escaped under the thick forest cover.
Later, police recovered 15 kit bags.
