HYDERABAD: The state police are learnt to have sought more central forces for guarding the ongoing irrigation projects and its staff in the state in the wake of growing Maoist activities in the region.
Earlier, the Centre had sanctioned around ten companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) comprising at least 800 personnel to guard the irrigations projects but a few companies have been deployed in the state so far.
Director-general of police M Mahendar Reddy, who visited the under-construction Sundilla barrage at Siripuram in Manthani mandal in Pedapalli district recently, reached Delhi on Wednesday _ his first visit after taking charge as head of the state police force _ to seek allocation of more companies of CRPF to the state for guarding the ongoing irrigation projects on Godavari river and near the state’s borders with Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.
Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages, and Kannepalli, Kasipet and Golovada pump houses under Kaleswaram project are under construction and hundreds of employees and workers including senior engineers are working on the project sites. With these projects located near the border of neighbouring Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, where Maoists have intensified their activities, the DGP held an internal meeting with senior officers recently to take measures for the safety of workers and projects.
Sources told Express that after reviewing the security at irrigation project sites, state police officials concluded that additional forces needed to be deployed to thwart any Maoist attacks. Hence the DGP’s visit to Delhi to discuss the matter with Union home ministry officials.
Latest encounter
Kondagorla Ravinder alias Vinod (25), a ‘deputy commander’ in the Maoist party and well trained in weapons, surrendered to the Telangana police recently. He allegedly tipped off the police about the party cadre that led to a major encounter near Kalled village in Zinganoor police limits in Maharashtra bordering Adilabad in Telangana on Wednesday. Basing on the information provided by the Telangana intelligence, Maharashtra police, led by C-60 teams, took on the Maoists. In the encounter that ensued, seven persons, including five women, were killed.
Bandh on December 12
CPI (Maoist) Bhadradri-Kothagudem and East Godavari division sub-committee secretary Azad released a letter on Wednesday stating that they would organise protests from December 6 to December 12 against the BJP’s Hindutva and Sangh Parivar’s policies that led to demolition of Babri Masjid. On December 12, the party will observe a bandh in protesting against Hindutva policies in the country.
Projects and workers vulnerable to violence
Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages, and Kannepalli, Kasipet and Golovada pump houses under Kaleswaram project are located near border areas, and there is a need to protect the structures and engineers and workers working there