KARIMNAGAR: In the wake of the encounter in the neighbouring Warangal district, the Karimangar police sounded high alert in the district and intensified combing operations in the forest between Karimnagar and Warangal districts. Police fear that the Maoists might sneak into the district after the exchange of fire.
Soon after the news of the encounter, several special party policemen were also rushed to the forest on the eastern part of the district which is adjacent to Chhattisgarh border.
Karimnagar OSD L Subbarayudu told Express that they are suspecting that some Maoists, who were injured in the exchange of fire in Warangal district, may have managed to flee from the shootout site and sneaked into Karimnagar border.
Police believe that the Karimnagar, Khammam and Warangal (KKW) division secretary Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodar was present at the encounter site and managed to escape.
In the recent past, pamphlets surfaced at a culvert between Singaram and Stambampalli villages in Mahamuttaram mandal threatening the landlords and ruling party political leaders. Since then, police kept a tight vigil and reportedly came to know that the Maoists resumed activities under the aegis of Damodar and another senior leader Kankanala Raji Reddy alias Venkatesh.
On September 10 when deputy commander Katrevula Lingaiah surrendered before the police, district SP D Joel Davis said they were suspecting Maoist movement in the border areas.
Meanwhile, police have also alerted local politicians in Manthani division, who were on the radar of Maoists and took up vehicle checkings on Bhoopalapalli (Warangal) - Kataram (Karimnagar) highway.