Maoist attack in Vizag: Angry supporters of slain MLAs attack police stations

With the situation going out of control, superintendent of police (Visakhapatnam Rural) Rahul Dev Sharma appealed to the people not to resort to violence.

The rally taken out by the supporters of MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao at Araku main road; (below) agitators set vehicles on fire at Araku police station in Visakhapatnam district on Sunday | G Satyanarayana

VISAKHAPATNAM: Tension prevailed at Araku and Dumbriguda mandals in Visakhapatnam agency on Sunday as hundreds of angry tribals and supporters of TDP MLA K Sarveswara Rao and former MLA Siveri Soma, who were killed by Maoists, hit the roads and attacked police stations in the area.

Alleging failure and negligence of police in providing proper protection to the leaders, tribals destroyed furniture at Dumbriguda police station and chased several constables. Araku main road looked like a war zone on Sunday evening with hundreds of agitators coming on to the roads and attacking the police station. Several vehicles were also set on fire.

Kideri Sarveswara Rao, YSRCP MLA from Araku and former MLA Siveri Soma were killed in a Maoist attack on Sunday." />

At Dumbriguda police station, furniture and police vehicles were set on fire. The agitators damaged window panes of several vehicles and targeted anything that came in their path. Police who tried to pacify the rampaging mob were roughed up forcing them to take to their heels.

A huge rally was taken out by the MLA’s supporters raising slogans like ‘Kidari Amar Rahe, Rakshaka Dalam down down’ at the Araku main road.

By night, a large number of locals took to the streets and staged an agitation shouting slogans against the government and police. The agitators demanded that district collector Pravin Kumar come and answer for the deaths.

Meanwhile, following instructions from higher officials, combing operations were intensified along the Andhra-Odisha border. Vehicle checking was being conducted in the border areas of Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram districts. Senior police officials opined that such public anger was never seen in the Agency areas. On Sunday night, when bodies of both the leaders reached the hospital premises for postmortem, a huge number of supporters gathered.

With the situation going out of control, superintendent of police (Visakhapatnam Rural) Rahul Dev Sharma appealed to the people not to resort to violence. “Rural police condemned the attacks and requested the people of Araku and Dumbriguda to maintain peace. Police will take stringent action against the Maoists in the coming days,” Sharma said.