KHAMMAM: In a major setback to extremists, the special party police gunned down eight members of CPI (ML) Chandra Pulla Reddy Bata faction in an exchange of fire at Mellamadugu forest area in Tekulapalli mandal of Bhadradri Kothagudem district in the wee hours of Thursday. According to district SP Ambari Kishore Jha, following information that members of CPI (ML) Chandra Pulla Reddy Bata were moving in the area, a special party police team launched combing operations in Mellamadugu forest.
During the combing operation, the team came across eight members of CP Bata and when they asked them to surrender, the naxals opened fire on them and in retaliation the police opened fire killing all of them. The CPI (ML) Bata group was formed four months ago with surrendered naxals of different groups.