VISAKHAPATNAM: In an exchange of fire between the Special Police Party and the Maoists, some of the top leaders and a few activists of the banned Maoists escaped into the forest area near Mandapalli, a village bordering Koyyuru and GK Veedhi in Visakhapatnam district on Monday morning.On a tip-off that a group of Maoists were hiding in the forest area, the combing team from the CRPF and AP Special Police located the hideout spot of the Maoists. When the security personnel chanced upon the Maoists, the former opened fire. The Maoists escaped into the forest.
“There were no injuries from both the sides but the police recovered some Maoist literature, a few kit bags, about 10 tiffin carriers, wire bundles and two radios,” said a senior police officer. The police sources have said that 15 to 20 hardcore cadres from the East Division of the Maoist, including some senior leaders like Chalapathi, Aruna, Suresh and Jagan, were present at the spot during the exchange of fire.