The CPI (Maoist) Bhadradri-Kothagudem Alluri Sitarama Raju (BK-ASR) divisional committee suffered a major blow on Thursday (September 5, 2024) when six of its cadres were killed in an exchange of fire with the police in the forest area near Mothe village in Telangana’s Bhadradri Kothagudem district.
The police recovered five weapons, including two AK 47 rifles, one each SLR and .303 rifles and one pistol, as well as live rounds of ammunition kit bags and other materials at the site of exchange of fire, police sources said.
The gunfight left six Maoists dead and two policemen of the Greyhounds, the anti-naxal force of the Telangana police, injured, sources said. The injured constables were first rushed to a hospital in Bhadrachalam and later shifted to a superspeciality hospital in Hyderabad for better treatment. The condition of the duo was stated to be stable.
The incident dealt a blow to the outlawed outfit’s attempt to regain its foothold in the Karakagudem and its adjoining forest areas, once Naxal strongholds.
CPI (Maoist) Manuguru Area Committee secretary Lachanna is believed to have been killed in the exchange of fire, sources added.
The exchange of fire took place at 6.45 a.m. near Mothe village about 5 km away from Karakagudem when a police party was out on a routine patrolling in the forest area, Bhadradri Kothagudem Superintendent of Police B. Rohit Raju said.
The armed Maoists opened fire indiscriminately on the police party forcing the police to return the fire in self-defence after warning the Maoists cadres to stop fire, the SP added.
The police party found six dead bodies clad in olive green dresses after the exchange of fire. Efforts are on to establish the identity of the deceased Maoists.
Published - September 05, 2024 10:52 am IST
