VIJAYAWADA: In a major breakthrough against Left-wing extremism, 43 Maoists, suspected to be members of groups headed by Madvi Hidma and Devuji, were arrested in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday.
A joint operation was conducted by Greyhounds, Octopus and Police at Penamaluru near Vijayawada, in Eluru, and Kakinada, under the direct supervision of DGP Harish Kumar Gupta.
In a swift intelligence-driven operation launched soon after the encounter in ASR district, 28 Maoists, including seven men and 21 women, were arrested at Penamaluru. A cache of weapons were also seized.
Meanwhile, police also carried out search operations in Kakinada and Eluru districts where 15 Maoists (13 in Eluru and two in Kakinada) were reportedly detained.
Speaking to mediapersons, Krishna district SP V Vidyasagar Naidu said the operation was conducted at New Autonagar. As it is a busy industrial zone where a large numbers of migrant labourers work and live, it became easier for Maoist operatives to move unnoticed. The group is said to be taking shelter in the area with a specific plan in mind.
Operation carried out after a sustained vigil, says SP
A major achievement in the operation was the capture of the nine-member protection team of Devuji, Central Committee Secretary of CPI (Maoist).
The SP described it as a major operation executed after sustained surveillance, and precise intelligence inputs received by AP police.
“It is still unclear whether Hidma passed through the area. We have collected all the data. All facts will be known once questioning of arrested Maoists is completed,” the SP said.
Teams from five districts were involved in the coordinated crackdown, with Gannavaram, Penamaluru and Kankipadu units leading the operation in Krishna district.
The Maoists had set up a camp in the industrial area with a clear objective, but the details of their plan are yet to be known. The DGP will disclose complete details of the operation on Wednesday, the SP added.
CPI condemns killing of Maoists in encounter
CPI national secretary K Ramakrishna on Tuesday strongly condemned the killing of senior Maoist Central Committee leader Madvi Hidma, his wife, and four other activists in an encounter with security forces at Maredumilli in Alluri Sitarama Raju district, terming it ‘barbaric’ and demanding an immediate judicial inquiry.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ramakrishna said despite repeated declarations by Maoist leaders expressing readiness for talks with the government, the Centre continues its policy of ruthless suppression.
“A democratically elected government should resolve issues through dialogue instead of resorting to cold-blooded killings in the name of ‘encounters,’” he said.
The encounter took place on Tuesday morning along the Andhra Pradesh-Telangana border.
Ramakrishna described the action as part of the Centre’s ongoing “repression campaign” and urged the Union government to abandon its violent approach and initiate democratic dialogue with the Maoists without further delay.
The CPI leader insisted that a comprehensive judicial probe be conducted into the encounter to bring out the truth. “Encounter killings cannot be a substitute for political solutions,” Ramakrishna stressed.