MULUGU: As many as seven Maoists were killed in an alleged encounter with police in the Chalpaka forest area on the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border under Eturunagaram police station limits in Mulugu on Sunday.
Acting on a tip-off about Maoist movement, Greyhounds and special party teams launched a combing operation in the area.
Speaking to the media, Superintendent of Police (SP) Dr P Shabarish stated that the police encountered a group of 12 to 13 Maoists in olive green uniforms armed with weapons. Despite being warned to surrender, the Maoists opened fire, triggering a retaliatory response in which seven Maoists were killed, the police claimed.
The dead were identified as members of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), including JMWP DVC and State Committee member Kursam Mangu alias Bhadru, and Egolapu Mallaiah alias Madhu, a Divisional Committee member and Area Commander. Other slain Maoists included Area Committee members Mussaki Deval and Mussaki Jamuna, as well as cadres Jaisingh, Kishore and Kamesh. The police recovered two AK-47 rifles, one.303 rifle apart from one shotgun, one country-made revolver, a G3, kit bags, and literature from the encounter spot.
This operation followed heightened security and intensified combing efforts in Maoist-affected areas of Mulugu after the recent killing of two tribal men in Penugolu village by Maoists, branding them as police informers.
Security tightened along districts
SP Shabarish stated that the combing operations will continue in the forest areas of Eturunagaram, Wazeedu, Peruru, and Venkatapuram. He appealed to Maoists to surrender, assuring them of a comprehensive rehabilitation package from the state government for joining the mainstream of society.
Following the encounter, security has been beefed up along the Mulugu-Bhadradri Kothagudem district border. Additional forces, greyhounds and special parties have been deployed with intensified combing operations in the border forest area. The intelligence agency has also warned the police about the movement. Police officials stated: “We suspect that the Maoists which escaped during the exchange of fire in Mulugu, may attempt to enter through Bhadradri Kothagudem. Among those killed was a prominent Maoist leader. With heightened police operations in Chhattisgarh, Maoists have been attempting to establish a foothold in Telangana.”