ADILABAD: Director General of Police (DGP) M Mahender Reddy visited Maoist-hit Kumrambheem-Asifabad district for the second time in the last one-and-half months, on Wednesday.Meanwhile, sources told Express that the State police chief’s second visit to the district is of great importance as rumours have begun surfacing that a few top Maoist cadre, including the outfit’s central committee members, are planning to surrender soon.
Sources even told this newspaper that the family members of a few top Maoist leaders visited Asifabad and met the DGP in secret to discuss the same. However, when Express interacted with some police officials, they refused to comment on this.
According to sources, it was as part of his one-week tour of Maoist-affected areas in the State that the police chief visited Asifabad on Wednesday. Meanwhile, it is learnt that he would stay in the district for three more days and organise orientation classes to the personnel on how to tackle the menace.
During the visit, Mahender Reddy also conducted an aerial survey of the banks of Pranahitha river and the Tiryani, Utnoor and Agency forest areas in the erstwhile Adilabad district. Later, he organised a meeting at the AR Headquarters with in-charge district Superintendent of Police (SP) V Satyanarayana and Adilabad SP Vishnu S Warrier on Maoist movement.
Increase in Maoist movement
Meanwhile, though the State has been on high alert ever since the exchange of fire between police and members of the CPI (Maoist) in the erstwhile districts of Khammam, Warangal and Adilabad on July 15, it seems as if the cadre of the banned outfit have increased their movement in Telangana, posing a threat to all. According to sources, they are mostly targeting gullible youngsters who are facing severe financial crisis. Meanwhile, after receiving this information, the cops have increased vigil and intensified combing operations along the Pranahita river. They have also started keeping a tab on the activities of youngsters belonging to local hamlets.
The police are also organising awareness programmes to keep the youngsters away from the Maoists. They have reportedly intensified searches in Jannaram forest area between Nirmal and Mancherial districts.
It maybe recalled that while seizing a few things belonging to the banned outfit’s State committee member Mailarapu Adellu alias Bhaskar, from the forest area back then, the police had also found his diary. It was from this diary they received solid information regarding the plans of the Maoists and their move to strengthen the party’s base in the State.
In the meantime, the cops have also received information that the leaders of a few fake tribal organisations are indirectly supporting the banned party and are also helping the cadre recruit Adivasis into the outfit. In the meantime, the Adivasis have refuted this allegation.
According to sources, the forest ground-level staff are now worried about going into the forest area due to the insurgence in Maoist movement in the erstwhile district. However, the cops are on high alert and are working round-the-clock to ensure the safety of people.