HYDERABAD: As many as five armed persons of the newly-formed CPI -ML (ND) Chandra Pullareddy Baata (CP-Baata) faction were gunned down in an alleged encounter in the Tekulapally forest area of Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana on Thursday morning.
The incident happened after the police received information that a group of 15 Naxalites from the CP-Baata faction were spotted in the Tekulapally forest.
A special search party was deployed and they came across the group while combing the area. Police reportedly asked the members to surrender but the latter allegedly opened fire.
In the retaliatory fire, five of the gang members were gunned down, police sources said, adding there might be more casualties on the other side.
The group comprises of surrendered Naxalites from various outfits and who were operating in the Khammam, Kothagudem and Warangal forest areas after acquiring arms and ammunition. They were resorting to extortions from businessmen and local traders, police claimed.
No policemen were injured in the incident, an official told PTI.
According to police, the men were formerly associated with the 'Jana Shakti' group of Naxals.
On July 24, a new group, called CPI (ML) Chandra Pullareddy (CP) Bata, was formed with 12 members under the leadership of K Rajana and B Narasimhulu, the police said.
According to police, the group members started their activities in four districts -- Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mahabubabad, Kothagudem and Khammam -- wherein they indulged in extortion from businessmen, conducted land settlements and civil panchayats, put up pamphlets and created terror in the society.
On December 3, the police had arrested three armed extremists of the group in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district and seized a rifle, two grenades, several rounds of ammunition, empty magazines, six kitbags and seven cell phones from their possession.
(With PTI Inputs)