KHAMMAM: After a lull of several months, the police officials and activists of the Maoist party opened fire at each other, on Sunday morning, August 1, 2021. One Maoist was killed in the exchange of fire that took place between the special party police and the extremists in the forest area under Bodanalli village in Cherla mandal, Bhadradri-Kothagudem district. The sleuths also recovered a .303 rifle and two kit bags from the body of the victim.
It is at a time when the police officials have tightened security and intensified combing operations in Maoist-hit villages along the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border, in view of the Martyrs’ Week being held from July 28 to August 3, that the incident happened. Bhadradri-Kothagudem SP Sunil Dutt said they had received a tip-off that the members of the Cherla local organisation squad and battalion action team were moving between Kurnavalli and Bodanalli villages and that they were planning to unleash violence as part of the Martyrs’ Week celebrations.
As per the tip-off, the police forces reached the spot by 8.15 am on Sunday. While they were on the hunt for the extremists, the security officials noticed about 10 armed Maoists moving along the area. When the police apprehended the activists and requested them to surrender, the cadre opened fire at the officials, as a result of which the sleuths were forced to retaliate in defence.
According to sources, the exchange of fire went on for around 20 minutes, before both sides retracted their weapons. During combing operations, the police found the body of a 23-year-old young activist. They also realised that the remaining Maoists had, by then, fled the spot. The young activist’s body was shifted to the Bhadrachalam Area Hospital for autopsy. Meanwhile, the forces are continuing search operations along the State border to nab the escaped Maoists.
In the meantime, the exchange of fire has created a sensation in Agency areas of the district that is already in the grip of fear. It is after a gap of 11 months that such an unfortunate incident happened in Cherla. In September 2020, three Maoists had died during a similar exchange of fire at Chennapuram forest area. In another incident, the Cherla police arrested one Maoist militia member, Madavi Ramesh, 27, at Danavaipet on Sunday. The arrested person is a resident of Rekhapalli village.