HYDERABAD: After arriving at a conclusion that gangs indulging in manufacturing weapons illegally in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are selling weapons to the naxalite groups in the state, the police is not focussing on breaking the network to stop the supply of weapons to the extremists. Police believe that the nine CPI ML ND Chandra Pulla Reddy Baata members, who were killed in an alleged encounter recently in Kothagudem district, got the weapons from UP and Bihar based gangs.
Police recovered country-made Self Loading Rifle (SLR), two 8 mm rifles and two SBBL guns from the place of encounter. A senior police officer told Express that inquiry revealed that some notorious gangs based in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were supplying weapons to naxalites and it came to light after an alleged encounter took place at Tekulappali. “We have given instructions to the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Kothagudem and its neighbouring districts to keep a close watch on gangs involved in supply of weapons,’’ the officer said.
It is also reported that Ravinder Reddy, who is an expert of weapon wing of Maoists, surrendered before the Eturunagaram police of Jayashanker district is understood to have given information about weapon transportation to nine naxalites who initially belonging to Janashakthi of CPI-ML. Meanwhile, Civil Liberties Committee (CLC) members alleged that the naxalites were picked up at somewhere else in Jayashanker district and killed in an encounter in Bhadradri district on the pretext of being involved in extortion.