MULUGU: Two tribal men were killed by Maoists in a remote area of Penugolu village of Wazeedu mandal on Thursday night, allegedly branding them as police informers.
The victims were identified as U Ramesh, a gram panchayat secretary and his brother Arjun, a farmer.
A letter released by the CPI (Maoist) Venkatapuram-Wazeedu Area Committee secretary Shantha stated that a total of six CPI Maoists entered the Penugolu village, and divided into two groups and reached the victim’s house and dragged them out of their house. Even after appeals that the entire family would leave the village, the Maoists killed the brothers, with a knife and axe, in front of their family members, and left the spot.
Upon learning about the incident, the Wazeedu and special police teams rushed to the spot and shifted the bodies to Eturunagram Community Health Centre (CHC).
Following the incident, a high alert was declared in the agency area on Friday. Security was tightened and combing operations were intensified in Maoist-affected villages including Kannaigudem, Wajedu, Venkatapuram and Mangapeta. Vehicle checks were conducted in the Eturunagaram division along the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border.
Mulugu SP P Shabarish stated that the victims were not police informers and were living in the mainstream. A case has been registered and investigation is on.