Maoist bandh on December 21, Malkangiri on alert

MALKANGIRI : The Maoists have given Malkangiri bandh call on Monday protesting the Singaram encounter in Swabhiman Anchal on December 13 which claimed lives of two of their prominent cadres. 
Terming the recent exchanges of fire between police and Maoists as fake encounters, secretary of the CPI-Maoist’s Andhra Pradesh Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) Kailash issued a release calling upon people to condemn the ‘killings’ and make the bandh a success. Expressing solidarity with the families of slain Maoists, he said police are illegally arresting people, torturing them in jail, forcing the cadres to surrender and making encounters after catching them. 

“Earlier, police had caught military commander Kishor and killed him. The SP of Visakhapatnam is also cheating informers by assuring them false assurance of employment. Some innocent people are being branded as informers and asked to wear police uniform. Malkangiri police has also arrested some Naxals but is yet to produce them in court,” the Maoist leader alleged. 

Kailash said all emergency services will be allowed during the bandh.On December 13, area committee member of AOBSZC Malesh and a female cadre Somidi, both natives of Chhattisgarh, were killed by security forces in an encounter near Singaram forest under Gajalmamudi panchayat.Meanwhile, high alert has been sounded in the district in wake of the Maoist’s bandh call. District voluntary force, Special Operation Group (SOG) and BSF personnel have been engaged in search and combing operation in all sensitive areas to avert any untoward incidents. 

Malkangiri SP Rishikesh D Khilari said the Red rebels are making baseless and false allegations out of desperation after losing ground in wake of several development works in Swabhiman Anchal after opening of Gurupriya bridge. On the other hand, the 144 Battalion of BSF on Saturday evening foiled a major ambush laid by the Maoists on Pipalpadar-Nakamamudi road to target security forces. Around five kg of IED was reportedly planted by the rebels which was enough to blow any vehicle up to a height of about 20-25 feet. The IED was later diffused successfully.