Andhra Pradesh Timeline 2009

Date

Incidents

January 1

A Kamareddy dalam (squad) member belonging to the Janashakti faction of the Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist (CPI-ML-Janashakti), identified as Kotta Rajam, surrendered before the Police at Kamareddy in the Nizamabad District.

The Superintendent of Police (SP) in Khammam District, Mahesh M. Bhagwat, said while launching a special programme to encourage surrender of the left-wing extremists that some 159 left-wing extremists, including 60 Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) commanders and squad members, were arrested in the District during 2008. 42 left-wing extremists, including eight underground activists of the rank of the District and zonal secretaries and three dalam commanders and 29 dalam cadres, were among those who surrendered in 2008, he said, adding, the Praja Pratighatana faction of the CPI-ML accounted for the highest number of 28 surrenders and 56 arrests and the Godavariloya sub-faction of the Praja Pratightana faction of the CPI-ML was more or less non-existent with the surrender of some important members on December 31.

Eight extremists, including a Deruvada Area committee cadre of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Nimmaka Bangaraju (34), surrendered before Police at Parvathipuram in the Vizianagaram District. Bangaraju, a native of Kusa village in G. L. Puram mandal (administrative unit), was involved in several extremist activities.

Central Committee of the CPI-Maoist has decided to constitute special teams to assassinate political leaders of the Telangana statehood movement in a meeting held at Bijapur in Chhattisgarh in August 2008.

A senior cadre and District committee secretary of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Karamthota Govinda Naik alias Sanjeevi alias Raju, was killed in an encounter at Mullampalli village of Pullalacheruvu mandal in the Prakasam District. However, four other Maoists managed to escape.

The Police recovered a landmine, weighing five kilograms, which was planted by the CPI-Maoist cadres at the forest village of Kaliveru in the Khammam District. The landmine was laid targeting the Police officials bound for Pedamidisileru village where the department had organised a health camp.

Three cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including a woman, were killed in an encounter which lasted for about half-an-hour during combing operations launched by Police in the Aberupadu forests area of Visakhapatnam District. Later, the Police recovered three weapons and kit bags from the encounter site.

A CPI-Maoist senior commander and area committee member, identified as Darshanala Lachanna alias Prabhakar alias Masu, surrendered to the Adilabad Superintendent of Police (SP) Anil Kumar. According to Police sources, Darshanala, a resident of Chirrakunta village of Mandamarri mandal, was working in the Kattekalyan dalam in the Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh from January 2002 and was also involved in six offences.

The Home Minister K. Jana Reddy said that patronage to left-wing extremists has come down and recruitment into the extremist movement has completely stopped in the State. People stopped sympathising with extremists. Instead, they were supporting the Government and its policies.

Though intensified combing operations are being carried out in the CPI-Maoist infested areas, the rapid movements of senior CPI-Maoist cadres and CPI-ML (Janashakthi) cadres have upset the Police's plans to completely wipe out the Maoist movement in the Kamareddy division of Nizamabad District. According to Police sources, the recent arrest of a commander of the Kamareddy dalam of the CPI-ML Janashakti, Cheryala Laxmipathi, and another cadre, Ramesh, has further strengthened the argument that the Maoists are regrouping.

A letter purportedly written by a CPI-Maoist leader Sudarshan alias Sriramulu Srinivas was sent to a Legislator belonging to the Telangana Rashtra Samiti party, T. Harish Rao, asking him to revolt against his party chief and maternal uncle K. Chandrasekhar Rao in case the party joined the Grand Alliance of Telugu Desam Party-Left. "TDP president Chandrababu Naidu is an agent of the capitalist forces. He is a staunch opponent of Telangana. Both the TDP and the Congress have betrayed the people of the region for decades," Sudarshan reportedly said in the letter. However, Rao has denied any such incident.

Though intensified combing operations are being carried out in the CPI-Maoist infested areas, the rapid movement of senior CPI-Maoist cadres and CPI-ML-Janashakti cadres has upset the Police's plans to completely wipe out the Maoist movement in the Kamareddy division of Nizamabad District. According to Police sources, the recent arrest of a commander of the Kamareddy dalam of the CPI-ML Janashakti, Cheryala Laxmipathi, and another cadre, Ramesh, has further strengthened the argument that the Maoists are regrouping.

A CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Kasipoina Ravi alias Sagar, was killed while five others managed to escape following an encounter during the combing operation launched by the Police at Kodishala forest area of Tadvain mandal in the Warangal District. The slain Maoist was a native of Devannapeta village of Hasanparthy mandal and was also a member of Khammam-Karimnagar District committee of the CPI-Maoist.

Over 4,500 kilograms of marijuana worth nearly INR 10 million and INR 46,000 were recovered from three people during a search operation conducted by the CRPF personnel in the Maoist infested Khammam District.

Two women cadres of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Nagella Chandra Kala alias Swarnakka and Nallakasula Alivelumanga alias Sudha were arrested by the Police from Tenali in the Guntur District. While Swarnakka is the commander of Maoist action team in Mahabubnagar, Sudha is the Bhopal-based central technical committee commander. Police suspect that the duo was trying to harbour some Maoists and spread activities of the outfit in coastal region of the State with Tenali as base. Police recovered some 'soap bombs' and electrical detonators from the two arrested cadres.

After the arrest of the two commanders, the Police now are looking into the possible ploy of Maoists to spread their wings in the coastal region of the State.

Police arrested a cadre of the Janashakti faction of the CPI-ML-Janashakti, identified as Javvaji Ramesh alias Kumar, from the Ramagundam area of Karimnagar District. A tapancha and 19 rounds of ammunition of various weapons were also recovered from the possession of the arrested cadre. Kumar was reportedly attempting to form a dalam of the outfit and was resorting to extortions in the coal belt region of the District.

A comprehensive package is being worked out for the rehabilitation of the 113 surrendered left-wing extremists, who came out of the extremist groups with a decision to join the mainstream of the society in the Khammam District.

A senior CPI-Maoist cadre and 'State committee secretary' of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Konapuri Ilaiah alias Sambasivudu, surrendered before the Police at Begumpet in the capital Hyderabad. Sambasivudu, carrying a INR 1 million reward on his head, was involved in several cases, including the Balimela attack in Orissa on June 29, 2008, in which 38 Greyhounds personnel were killed and the Alipiri landmine blast targeting the then Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. He was also involved in the Vempenta massacre, legislator C. Narsi Reddy's assassination and the attack on the former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Janardhan Reddy in Nellore.

Two CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Dasari Prakash alias Guddi Seshanna and his wife Shaik Chathali alias Rajita, surrendered before the Superintendent of Police V. Navinchand at Ongole in the Prakasam District. While Seshanna, who was 'secretary' of the Vizianagaram District Maoist group, carried a reward of INR 300000 on his head, Rajita, who was an area committee member, carried a reward of INR 100000 on her head.

Three landmines and detonators were recovered by the Police during a search operation at Konalova village of Addateegala mandal in the East Godavari District.

Police arrested a surrendered senior CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Sambasivudu, in connection with the killing of ten people, including that of Indian National Congress party legislator C. Narsi Reddy, in the Mahbubnagar District. As reported earlier, Sambasivudu, the State secretary of CPI-Maoist, had surrendered to the Police on February 15.

Armed CPI-Maoist cadres stormed into the house of a tribal youth, identified as Sode Kannaiah, and subsequently shot him dead by branding him as a Police informer at Surakonda village of Chintur mandal in the Khammam District.

A CPI-Maoist commander carrying head money of INR 200000, identified as Bisetti Maheswara Rao alias Venu/Raghava, was arrested by Police from the Vizianagaram District.

The CPI-Maoist called for boycotting the forthcoming Parliamentary and State Legislative Assembly elections alleging that both the ruling Indian National Congress party and the Opposition Telugu Desam Party have deceived the people with false promises. The Maoists are reportedly conducting meetings in the Visakha agency advising the tribals against exercising their franchise. A spokesperson of the Visakha division, Bakuri Venkata Raman alias Ganesh, held a meeting with the tribals in the forests of G. Madugula area recently where he asked them to get ready for "mobile attacks" on the agency's Police Stations.

The Union Minister for Home Affairs P. Chidambaram in a press conference at Hyderabad asked the State Government to keep up the pressure on the CPI-Maoist and also called for improving urban policing in view of terror threats. "I think the Police forces have the upper hand now. Barring one incident on the Andhra-Orissa border, where 34 people died, the number of casualties in 2008 was among the lowest," he told.

Nine kilograms of explosive material, 48 electrical detonators, 14 non-electrical detonators, one flash camera, a multi-meter, 16 electric switches, banners and posters were recovered when Police unearthed a dump belonging to the CPI-Maoist cadres at Chaparaiguda under Neelakantapuram Police Station in the Vizianagaram District.

Five cadres, including two commanders, of Kandapali Armed Militia belonging to the CPI-Maoist surrendered before the Police in the Vishakhaptanam District. While the two surrendered commanders were identified as Vantala Suresh alias Kesab and G. L. Sibaji alias Shiba, the other three cadres were identified as G. L. Sunder Rao alias Ashok, Vantala Venkatrao alias Tilus and Vantala Vangrao alias Tilu.

The Warangal District Police recovered a cache of arms and ammunition belonging to the CPI-Maoist, including 11 weapons, 10 landmines and two claymore mines, 388 gelatine sticks, 972 detonators, 280 rounds of live ammunition, party literature and one medical kit, electrical wires, switches used in exploding landmines, during a week long combing operation in the forest areas of Eturunagaram, Mangapet and Kothaguda mandals of the District.

Khammam, Karimngar and Warangal division secretary of the CPI-Maoist, Bade Nageswar Rao, issued a statement warning two senior Indian National Congress party leaders, Konda Muralidhar and District Congress Committee president G.V. Ramana Reddy, against 'illegal activities and harassing innocent people'. He also issued a threat to a contractor who is close to Muralidhar.

The Visakhapatnam District Police recovered five landmines near the Chintalamma Ghat road.

Five Land mines were recovered by the Visakhapatnam District Police at Balapam village.

Two surrendered CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Pochaiah alias Srinivas of Medak and Rajeshwar alias Sagar, were arrested by the Police in connection with a case extortion of money from a person to settle a land dispute in Cyberabad.

In the backdrop of the recovery of arms dumps at Tadwai, Kothguda and Eturunagaram mandals of Warangal District and the finding of wall posters threatening people to boycott the general elections in the Venkatapuram and Vajedu mandals in the Khammam District, the Warangal District Police apprehends possible attack by the cadres of CPI-Maoist during the general election scheduled to be held on April 16 and April 23. According to the Police sources, Bade Nageswara Rao alias Haribushan, 'secretary' of the North Telangana South Zonal Committee of the CPI-Maoists, recently visited certain places in the District.

Police identified 33 villages on the Andhra Pradesh-Chhattisgarh border as being highly Maoist-affected and consequently needing special attention during the forthcoming election. The decision was taken in a co-ordination meeting of the Superintendent of Police of the Maoist affected Districts of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh at Kothagudem in the Khammam District of Andhra Pradesh. While, 20 of the villages were identified in Khammam District, 13 others were in the Dantewada and Bijapur Districts of Chhattisgarh.

Police arrested three suspects, identified as Kumara Swamy alias Kumar, S. Chiranjeevi and S Suresh, and recovered a cache of explosive, including 200 gelatine sticks, 200 detonators and 75 bags of ammonium nitrate, from their possession at Manikyapur village of Vangara Police Station in the Karimnagar District.

Eight CPI-Maoist cadres, including its Rachakonda area committee commander, were arrested as Police foiled a secret meeting of the Maoists during a search operation in the reserve forest area near Venkatapuram in the Thurkapally mandal of Nalgonda District. The arrested area committee commander was identified as T. Yadaiah alias Kranthi and other Maoist cadres were identified as B. Anuradha alias Jyothi, U. Vijay alias Nagesh, B. Balaiah, V Bikshamaiah, B Veeraiah, B Santosh, and Shaik Baba. Police also recovered some weapons and ammunition from the arrested extremists.

As part of stepped up surveillance to prevent untoward incidents during the general elections scheduled to be held in April 2009, Police conducted a cordon and search operation at Dasireddygudem, the native place of surrendered senior CPI-Maoist cadre Sambasivudu, of Valigonda mandal in the Nalagonda District.

In Andhra Pradesh and Orissa, where legislative Assembly elections were also held for 140 and 77 constituencies respectively, the voter turnout was 68 and 55 during Polling for Phase-II of the parliamentary elections. Chief Election Commissioner Navin. B. Chawla told the media that he was "extremely satisfied" with the election and it was held "without any large incident."

CPI-Maoist cadres killed a tribal leader from Chhattisgarh in Kaliveru village of Bhadrachalam division in the Khammam District. The killed tribal leader has been identified as Madakam Kasanna (45). He was in the hit list of the Maoists for a long time and was hiding in the village for past few months.

Machavarapu Sreenu, a deputy Commander of the CPI-Maoist's East Platoon, surrendered before the East Godavari District Superintendent of Police at Kakinada citing personal reasons. He has been underground for the last five years and took part in 15 offences, most of them in Visakhapatnam District, Police sources said.

A dalam (squad) member of the Praja Pantha faction of the CPI-ML and a former member of CPI-ML's Janashakthi faction were arrested near Shahinayathgunj in State capital Hyderabad. Police sources said the arrested extremists were planning to kill another extremist belonging to the Praja Pratighatana faction. An axe and a sword were recovered from them.

Andhra Pradesh Home Minister K Jana Reddy said that not more than 150-160 cadres of the CPI-Maoist could be present in the State. Speaking to reporters after a high-level review meeting on the post-election law and order situation at the State Secretariat he said, "We have very effectively tackled the Maoists over the past few years and now they have been reduced to nothing. At best, there could be some 150-160 cadres of the outlaws hiding underground in the state." He further said that talks initiated by the Congress government in late 2004 proved effective in tackling left-wing extremist menace. "Though the talks failed, we could very effectively curb Maoist activity in the state. Many of them have given up arms and surrendered before the Police", he said.

Two home guards went missing after cadres of the CPI-Maoist opened fire on them at Cheemalapadu village of G. Madugula mandal in the Visakhapatnam District. The two missing persons were part of a three member team who were on a private visit to the village.

The CPI-Maoist commander of Special Guerrilla Squad of North Telangana Special Zone Committee, Durgam Butchaiah alias Vikram and dalam member Chinturu Nagamani alias Swaroopa surrendered before the Karimnagar District Police. Vikram, Police sources said, had joined the dalam in 2001 as a member and was elevated to the rank of commander.

The CPI-ML has called for a bandh in the Andhra Orissa border region on May 20 and 21 in protest against the alleged fake encounters being carried out by the Andhra and Orissa Governments. In a statement released in Visakhapatnam the AOB special zone secretary Bhaskar said the outfit would observe a protest week from May 15 to 21 and demanded the release of the arrested cadres. "The Chief Ministers of both Andhra Pradesh and Orissa are giving much priority to multinationals in the name of development which only gave scope for exploitation of the poor", he said.

In two separate incidents, two tribals, including the Hukumpeta mandal president of Indian National Congress party, were killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres in Visakhapatnam District. While the mandal president was identified as Korra Chittibabu, the tribal civilian was identified as Vanthala Malathi of G.K. Veedhi mandal. According to the SP Akun Sabharwal, a group of three Maoists attacked Chittibabu and shot him dead near his house in Hukumpeta because belonged to the Congress party.

Two cadres belonging to the Nallamala platoon of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Boya Sanjeev alias Saleem and his wife Laxmi, surrendered before the Superintendent of Police M.K. Singh in Anantapur.

A group of 20 CPI-Maoist cadres accompanied by 30 sympathizers after looting the house of a sarpanch, dragged her along with her husband from their house and assaulted them at Kumada village in Munchingput mandal in Visakhapatnam District. The Maoists also set ablaze the house of the sarpanch, before leaving the place. The victims were identified as Setty Gangabhavani and her husband, a former sarpanch, S. Anjaneyulu. Both of them belong to the Bahujan Samaj Party, the report added.

Two senior CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Patel Sudhakar Reddy alias Suryam alias Srikanth and Kanugula Venkataiah, were killed during an encounter with the Police at Gaurappa hillocks near Lavvala village in the thick Tadvai forest area in Warangal District. The encounter took place when one of the special party Police teams, who were pressed into combing operations for the past two weeks, spotted a group of Maoists camping on the top of Gaurappa hillocks near Lavvala village in Tadvai mandal. The Police recovered one AK 47, one 9 mm pistol, one 8 mm rifle, three kitbags, INR 20,000 in cash and revolutionary party literature from the encounter site.

While Reddy, a native of Kurthi Ravala Cheruvu of Maldarkal mandal in Mahabubnagar District, was a Central Committee member, Venkataiah, a native of Inapur village in Cheriyal mandal of Warangal District, was a member of State Committee of CPI-Maoist and also a member of its technical wing. Reddy was involved in a number of murder cases, including that of former Home Minister Alimineti Madava Reddy and senior IPS officers Umesh Chandra and Vyas. He was the mastermind behind the assassination attempts on former Chief Ministers N. Chandrababu Naidu and N. Janardhan Reddy. He played a key role in the Police Station attacks of Bommala Ramaram, Thirumalagiri, Eragondapalem, Yadagirigutta, Dindi and some other Police Stations in the State. He was also involved in three landmine blasts at Bandlamotu in Guntur District and Vepanagandla in Mahabubnagar District, in which two Sub-Inspectors and 12 constables were killed. He was also looking after the military activities in Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra and was made member of the Central Committee. Venkataiah, who worked in Cherial, Gerailpally and Nalgonda area committees of the outfit in the State, was taken into the technical wing of the outfit in 2006 and was made State committee member.

CPI-Maoist cadres killed a registered medical practitioner, identified as B. Srinivasa Rao, after branding him as a Police informer in Rudradam near Wazeedu in Khammam District.

Posters of the CPI-Maoist cadres warning the Police that they would avenge the killing of Sudhakar Reddy, the senior Maoist leader, were found pasted on the walls at Maddigaruvu village of G. Madugula mandal of Visakhapatnam District. As reported earlier, Reddy was killed by the Police in an encounter at Gaurappa hillocks near Lavvala village in the Tadvai forest area of Warangal District on May 24.

Seven left-wing extremists, including six CPI-Maoist cadres, and one belonging to Praja Pratighatna faction of the CPI-ML, surrendered before the Warangal District Superintendent of Police V. C. Sajjanar.

Around 40 CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze a poclain, two tippers, a couple vehicles and some two wheelers of a contractor who has been laying roads along the Andhra-Orissa Border near Panasagondi area in Chintapalle mandal (administrative unit) of Visakhapatnam District.

A senior leader of the CPI-Maoist, Kondagorri Kurma Rao alias Kurranna, surrendered before the Police in Vizianagaram District. He was a member of the Maoist Nagavali area committee and was involved in several offences, including the blasting of Gummada railway Station, a local development office, and attack on Udayagiri Police Station. The Vizianagaram Superintendent of Police, Y. Gangadhar, before whom Kurranna surrendered, said the latter was vexed with the Maoist philosophy and wanted to re-join the mainstream of life. He was also upset with the CPI-Maoist leadership after having served the outfit in various capacities since 1993, Gangadhar added.

The CPI-Maoist cadres torched a vehicle belonging to traders at Korukonda in the Nalgonda District. About 15 members of the Korukonda squad stopped the vehicle, broke its diesel tank and set it ablaze destroying it. The van belonged to a trader from Narsipatnam. In pamphlets left at the location, the Maoists threatened four traders from Annavaram and owners of two cinema theatres at Narsipatnam with trial in people's court.

The State Secretary of the Praja Pratighatana faction of the Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (CPI-ML Praja Pratighatana), Sudhakar alias Ashok, was killed in an encounter with the Police in the Eturunagaram forests near Bhupathipur village in Warangal District. Another Naxalite (left-wing extremist) was also killed but his identity is yet to be established. Police recovered one SLR and a 0.8 mm rifle from the incident site. The District Superintendent of Police V. C. Sajjanar said a special Police party ran into the Praja Pratighatana Naxalites during a combing operation. "The Police asked them to surrender but they didn't heed the warning and fired at them. In the retaliatory fire, two of the Naxalites, including Ashok, were killed while the rest escaped," Sajjanar told reporters. Ashok was from Bayyaram village in Khammam District and had been associated with the Praja Pratighatana for the last 10 years.

A woman Naxalite (left-wing extremist) belonging to the CPI-ML surrendered before the Vizianagaram District Superintendent of Police (SP), Y Gangadhar. According to the Police, Chokkari Krishnaveni alias Santhi alias Swarupa alias Pedda Santhi of Srikakulam District decided to come over-ground because of health problems and ideological differences with the party leaders. The Police claimed Krishanaveni was a senior member in the Srikakulam division committee and was recently made a member of the Special Zonal Committee. She is a native of Palasapuram village in Srikakulam. It was her uncle Gangaram alias Shankar alias Komma who reportedly inducted her into the People's War Group in 1993. Gangaram was killed in an encounter with the Police near Gummalakshmipuram in 2008.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court granted conditional bail to a top leader of the CPI-ML- Janashakti lodged in the Cherlapalli jail in capital Hyderabad. Kura Devender alias Amar (47), the Janashakti group State secretary, was arrested by Police from Pune in the State of Maharashtra in April 2008 and was incarcerated in Cherlapalli jail on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

The State Government decided to extended the ban on the CPI-Maoist and six of its affiliate organisations for one more year. The State cabinet that met in capital Hyderabad under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy decided to extend the ban from August 17, 2009 to August 16, 2010, according to a State minister. The banned outfits include the Radical Youth League, Radical Students Union, Rythu Coolie Sangham, Singareni Karmika Samakhya, Viplava Karmika Samakhya and All India Revolutionary Students Federation.

The ban on CPI-Maoist and its affiliate outfits has been continuing in the State for over six years now, barring a few months in 2004-05 when the Rajasekhara Reddy Government held talks with the Maoists in a bid to make them shun violence and join the mainstream.

The State Government is reportedly contemplating to seek the Central Government's approval for inclusion of three more Districts in the State in the list of areas declared as Maoist-affected. These Districts are Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam in north Coastal Andhra bordering the State of Orissa. At present, Khammam is the only District in Andhra Pradesh that finds place in the list of 33 Districts across the country which has been declared as extremist-affected. Overall, Maoist activity has been on the decline in Andhra Pradesh, but the Government is reportedly seeking declaration of the three north Districts as Maoist-affected in view of the continuing activity in areas adjoining the Andhra Pradesh-Orissa border. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy is expected to put forth a request to this effect to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the concerned Union Ministers during his visit to New Delhi on August 17. The move, according to official sources, would ensure more focus on the affected areas while enabling the State to secure more funds under the Backward Region Grant Fund.

Four sympathisers of the CPI-Maoist who were performing duties like couriers and extending help to the party surrendered before the Deputy Superintendent of Police, N. Narasimha Kishore, at Narsipatnam in the Visakhapatnam District. All the four are from Davadagoyyi village in Koyyuru administrative division. Among them only Panji Jyothi had been an active Maoist. She was with the Tandava dalam (squad) for two years in the past. Others who surrendered were identified as Pangi Prasad, Gammela Nageswara Rao and Gammela Devadas.

The Police unearthed an arms dump of the CPI-Maoist in the Pamidipadu forest area of Guntur District. The recoveries included three VHF sets, two chargers, one directional mine, 50 detonators and Maoist literature.

The Maoists resorted to barricading of roads by felling trees in the forest pockets of Khammam District as part of the two-day shutdown call given by them in the North Telangana Districts opposing the opencast mining by the Singareni collieries in the coal belt, large scale submergence by the Polavaram project and illegal damming in the upper stretches of Godavari River by the Government of Maharashtra. The shutdown, also backed by the Janashakti faction of the Communist party of India-Marxist-Leninist (CPI-M-L Janashakti), however, evoked no response in the tribal pockets while life remained normal in the coal bet too. Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar said the elements who were involved in barricading the forest routes have been identified. He said some Maoists had come from across the inter-State border for creating the obstacles to the vehicular traffic in the forest pocket. By and large life was reportedly normal in Bhadrachalam, Palvancha and Kothagudem divisions.

Singaboina Veerabhrahman alias Ramu, dalam (squad) 'commander' of the CPI-ML-New Democracy operating in Tekulapalli area in the Khammam District was arrested. Ramu, who leads a squad of some eight members, was involved in two murders and a number of cases related to extremist violence.

Vantala Jagannadh alias Naresh, a 20-year old 'deputy commander' of the Gurthedu Local Guerrilla Squad (LGS) of the CPI-Maoist, surrendered before the Officer on Special Duty, K.V. Mohana Rao, at Narsipatnam in the Visakhapatnam District. Naresh belongs to Valasapalli in East Godavari District. He was the security guard for the Andhra Orissa Border (AOB) East Division secretary Jagadish. He has been acting as 'deputy commander' of the Gurthedu LGS since February 2007 in which position he continued till July 2009. He was also East Division 'A' section 'deputy commander'. Citing health reasons, he quit the squad after informing the leaders.

A militia member of the CPI-Maoist was killed in an encounter with the Police near Jaggaram village in the Khammam District. Police said that special parties took up combing operations in the area following information about Maoist activities. While the dalam (squad) managed to escape, Madakam Bheemili, a Gothikoya youth from Chhattisgarh, was killed in the exchange of fire.

Police exchanged fire with the CPI-ML-Praja Pratighatana cadres at Voddugudem village under Govindaraopet mandal (administrative unit) in Warangal District. The incident happened when the Police went to the spot where some dalam (squad) members of the outfit were holding a meeting and asked them to surrender but the latter hurled a bomb at the Police. In retaliation, the Police fired at them, but the Naxalites, including Mohananna, State secretary of the outfit, managed to escape. Though nobody was injured, Police recovered nine kit bags and one locally-made revolver from the encounter site.

Six militia members of the CPI-Maoist - Korra Mohana Rao (30), Mamidi Dhananjaya (22), Pradhna Dumburu (21), Pongi Prasad (21), Korna Kottanna (26) and Vanthala Viswanadh (20) - surrendered before the G.K. Veedhi Police in Visakhapatnam District. They all belong to Valasagedda village in Sileru Police Station limits. The surrendered Maoists were dalam (squad) members in the Gurtheudu area in East Godavari District during 2004-2005.

The Police arrested 10 militia members of the CPI-Maoist from G.K. Veedhi Police Station area in Visakhapatnam District and on information given by them, recovered dumps at Cheedigondi, Yerragedda and Cheepurugondi villages. An empty shell of directional mine, a steel can containing 20 gelatine sticks, 36 detonators, an old hand grenade, electric wire bundles, red banner cloth, adhesive tins, medicines, marker pens, notebooks, letter pad, adhesive tins, etc. were found in the dumps.

The CPI-Maoist central committee member, Malla Raji Reddy, was released from the Cherlapally Central Prison on bail. He was arrested in December 2007 in Kerala. He was charged with involvement in many criminal cases, including murders and five landmine blasts at different places.

Seven cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including a 'deputy commander', one armed militia 'commander' and a 'platoon member', were arrested by Khammam District Police. The Police also recovered three landmines, two claymore mines, 50 kilograms of gelatin and 25 metre wire bundle from them. "The arrested are identified as K Chalamaiah, deputy commander of Chandranna Protection platoon, K Pullaiah, the armed ultra commander from Kurnapalli village of Charla mandal (amistrative unit) in Khammam District and D. Raghupathi," platoon member of KKW division, Bhadrachalam Assistant Superintendent of Police Raghunath Reddy told reporters. K. Pullaiah participated in the September 14 State Bank of Hyderabad robbery at Satyanarayanappuram in Charla mandal, the Police officer said adding "He was part of the forty-member Maoist group that committed about Rs 10 lakh robbery last month." Pullaiah is also involved in eleven offences including four murders in Charla Police Station limits in the past one-and-a-half years, Reddy said. The 'deputy commander' of Chandranna protection platoon K. Chalamaiah was with Dalam (squad) for five years and participated in 12 murders in Khammam and Warangal Districts besides in the neighbouring Chattisgarh State, the Police officer explained. The platoon member of KKW division D. Raghupathi participated in the triple murder in Tallagudem Police Station limits in March 2009, he said. The Police also arrested four armed militia members of Burugupadu village, Reddy added.

Cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a former Prathigatana dalam (squad) 'commander', Ramlal, branding him a Police informer, in Yathnaram village of Mahamutharam mandal (administrative division) of Karimnagar District in the night. Reports said three armed Maoists belonging to Mahadevpur area went to the Yathnaram village and woke up Ramlal and took him to the outskirts on the pretext of talking to him. At the village tank, the Maoists shot him dead by opening two rounds of fire. The Maoists left a note warning informers to mend their ways.

Cadres of the CPI-Maoist made an unsuccessful bid to abduct a former Naxalite (left-wing extremist) of the Prathigatana group of the CPI-ML-Prathigatana in the Saravaipeta village under Mahadevpur mandal (administrative division) of Karimnagar District in the night. Reports said three Maoists went to the house of former Prathigatana dalam (squad) member Srinivas and demanded him to escort them into the forests. However, Srinivas is reported to have escaped under the cover of darkness with the support of villagers. Later, the Maoists left the village warning the Police informers to mend their ways.

Cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed Uke Saraiah (60), husband of Ooke Sammakka, chief of the Lingala Panchayat (village-level local self-government institution) under Tadvai administrative division in Warangal District. Uke Saraiah was also a local leader of the CPI-M. Eight armed Maoists came to Saraiah's house at midnight and asked him to come out on the pretext of talking to him. They later assaulted him alleging that he has been informing Police about the movement of Maoists in and around the village. Later, they shot him dead.

A 16-year-old girl, who was a militia member of the CPI-Maoist, surrendered before the Superintendent of Police, Vineet Brij Lal, in Visakhapatnam. Pongi Sillo alias Lalita was given the name of Chinnari when she was with the Galikonda dalam (squad), belongs to the Kondu tribe and a native of Jerrela Kotturu in G. K. Veedhi mandal (administrative division) in the District.

Director-General of Police R.R. Girish Kumar admitted that there was "some spurt" in Maoists' activities in the State and assured that Police were taking adequate steps to meet the threat. At a press conference in Hyderabad, he said some incidents had occurred and the Police were aware of the developments in north Telangana and on the borders of the neighbouring States.

An action squad member of the CPI-Maoist was killed in an encounter with Police in the Kompelli-Asnanpalli area of Warangal District late in the night. Two other extremists, however, managed to escape. A 9 mm pistol was recovered from the incident site, a Police official said.

Cadres of the CPI-Maoist are suspected to be regrouping in a big way in Andhra Pradesh. The top Maoist leadership is concentrating on reviving the movement particularly in North Telangana. Intelligence sources claim that there is increased movement in areas where the insurgents have sought refuge along the North Telangana forest border with Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Sources said the CPI-Maoist is planning to restore its strength in North Telangana by launching agitations against open cast mines of Singareni Collieries, an issue which is likely to have local support. Towards this end, the extremists have reactivated its frontal organisation, the Singareni Karmika Samakya, which has a strong presence among the coal miners.

Following intelligence reports of active movement of Maoists in the Manthani division in Karimnagar District, the Minister for Higher Education, D. Sridhar Babu, along with the Member of Parliament from Peddapalli, G. Vivekanand, Collector Sandeep Kumar Sultania and other officials cancelled their visit to the interior Mahadevpur administrative division. They were to participate in a medical camp organised by Rainbow, a NGO of lady doctors of Karimnagar.

The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed an activist of the ruling Congress Party, K. Narasimhapur Reddy (40), at Konapur village in the Warangal District in the early morning. About 20 insurgents, reportedly led by the Kothaguda 'area secretary' of the CPI-Maoist, reached Konapur in the midnight and asked Narasimhapur Reddy to follow them as they had something to talk to him. Later, they shot him dead outside his residence and escaped from the incident site. Reddy was a village committee secretary of the party. The Maoists branded him as a Police informer and killed him warning other villagers of same fate if they befriended the Police. This is the third killing in Warangal District by the Maoists in a month.

Two cadres of the CPI-Maoist were killed in an encounter with the Police in the Kodavatancha village of Warangal District. According to sources, the District's action team commander' Manthani Raju alias Daya and Nuneti Venkatesh alias Srinath alias Naveen were killed in the encounter in the cotton fields at around 2.30 pm (IST). Daya belonged to Jangedu village of Bhupalpalli mandal (administrative Unit) and had been underground from 1994. He was carrying a head money of INR 500,000. Action team member Venkatesh alias Srinath belonged to Pedakomatipalli village in Mogullapalli mandal. He earlier worked in the Praja Prathighatana outfit and after surrendering to the Police, he subsequently joined the CPI-Maoist in 2003. The Police recovered one 9mm carbine and one sten gun from the encounter site.

Within 24 hours of the Director-General of Police R.R. Girish Kumar's visit to the Visakha Agency area, the CPI-Maoist blocked the Kothapalli-Pakalapalem road on the way to Sileru on October 30 and gave a call to the people to support the countrywide shutdown on November 4 and 5, for which the party has given a call. In the evening of October 30, the Maoists cut down trees and placed them on the road. They also dug up a hole near a culvert on the road, presumably to plant a landmine. Several handwritten posters were left at the place condemning the Government's Operation Godavari to flush out Maoists and proposals for aerial bombing of Maoist strongholds. The posters were in the name of the Galikonda area committee.

A surrendered Naxalite of the CPI-ML-Jana Shakti group, Singaram Venkata Ramana alias Pullanna alias Sampath Reddy, who was involved in the abduction of a contractor from Kurnool District recently, was arrested from Kurnool and three firearms, 12 live rounds of bullets, INR 100,000 in cash, a four-wheeler and mobile phones were recovered from him by the city Police. Venkata Ramana, who hails from Kokkerancha village in the Kothapally mandal (administrative unit) of Kurnool District, was residing at Shareen Nagar in Kurnool.

The first day of the two-day general shutdown in the Visakha Agency area was peaceful and total.

The Police here sounded high alert at Anksanpalli village of Tadicherla mandal in Karimnagar District following reports of the intrusion of armed Naxalites into the District from the adjoining Chhattisgarh State. Police sources said that the specially trained and armed Naxalites from the Chhattisgarh were eagerly waiting to commit an offence in the District to make their presence felt. The Naxalites were moving in the forest area of Manthani revenue division along the river Godavari with the help of local Naxalites. The Police sources said they were shocked to notice the Naxalites openly going to Anksanpalli village and inquiring the whereabouts of elected representatives.

Police arrested one person, T. Eswar, for his links with the CPI-ML- Janashakti leader Yadanna in the Kamareddy area of Nizamabad District. According to the Superintendent of Police (SP), M. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Eswar used to run a taxi service in the area. He developed contacts with the Janashakti leaders during that time and quit the travel agency after he met with an accident five years ago. However, the Police kept an eye on his suspicious movement and arrested him.

The Adilabad First Additional Session Judge, S. Venkata Ramanaiah, acquitted a top CPI-Maoist leader, Tusharkanti Bhattacharya, in the Tapalpur murder case of November 1976. Tusharkanti Bhattacharya, who was arrested from the State of Bihar in September 2008, was one of the prime accused in the case and was the only one who had evaded arrest for 32 years.

The Director General of Police, Girish Kumar, clarified that there is no joint operation going on with the Chhattisgarh State against the Maoists in the border areas, reports Express Buzz. Kumar, who visited the Maoist insurgency-affected areas in the Bhadrachalam Division on November 15, addressed media persons at Kothagudem and said, "We are ready to face the Naxal [Maoist] threat in our border area. Our work is to prevent the entry of Maoists into our State but we will not enter Chhattisgarh State." He clarified that the Andhra Pradesh Police would not enter Chhattisgarh to participate in combing operations.

A cadre of the CPI-Maoist, Nagarjuna Reddy (30), was shot dead by a Police combing party in an encounter at Billalagutta near Veligallu reservoir in Galiveedu mandal (administrative division) in the Kadapa District. The deceased belonged to Medikurthi village in Chittoor District. Police recovered two 0.38 revolvers, three bullets, three tin bombs, a kit bag, four SIM cards from the encounter site. The Maoists opened fire at a Police party which was combing the area and Police returned fire in retaliation. Nagarajuna Reddy was killed while two others managed to escape, the Police said.

Mohammed Hussain alias Sudhakar, a CPI-Maoist central committee member was produced in Adilabad court in connection with the case related to his fleeing from Adilabad sub jail in 1988.

Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze six vehicles belonging to the Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) at its open cast mine site at Dorli village in the Tiryani mandal (administrative division) of Adilabad District in the night. According to Bellampally Deputy Superintendent of Police V. Bhaskar Rao, 40 armed Maoists came to the mine site between 10.30 and 11pm (IST) and asked the third shift personnel present near the vehicles to move away. They then set ablaze the vehicles, including a lubricating van, a diesel bowser, a water tanker and a lorry and two jeeps that were hired by the SCCL management. The incident comes after a lapse of more than four-and-half years of Maoist violence in the Adilabad District.

Koyyuru Police arrested one armed and six basic militia members, including a woman, of the CPI-Maoist. The arrested armed militia member Vantala Sattibabu (22) was with the Maoists since he was 10 years old. The arrests took place at Thotachilaka and Billupalem villages in Koyyur mandal of Visakhapatnam District.

Nine armed cadres, including three women, of the CPI-Maoist set on fire a tractor and a chip mixing machine, which were being used in laying a road near Lakshmipuram in Munchingput mandal (administrative unit) of Visakhapatnam District in the night. The incident happened a day before the Maoists commenced their annual week-long People's Liberation Guerrilla Army formation celebrations. The Maoists left some pamphlets and a banner at the site urging people to make the celebrations a success. They burned down the vehicle and equipment, belonging to a private contractor, in protest against the "firing by Police against innocent tribals at Pydipalli in Pedabayalu mandal on November 22 and other incidents in which the tribals were killed, the Maoists mentioned.

Three cadres of the CPI-Maoist were killed in an encounter with special party Policemen in the evening in the forest near Kallegaon-Pittaguda under Kerameri Police Station limits of Adilabad District. While two of those killed were identified as Mylarapu Adellu alias Bhaskar alias Narsanna, Adilabad District Committee Secretary (DCS) of the CPI-Maoist and Chippakurthi Ravi alias Sudershan, a District Committee member, the third could not be identified due to darkness. Some 10 others were believed to have escaped. Adilabad Superintendent of Police P. Promod Kumar said a sten gun, a SLR, a pistol, a manpac communication set some batteries and blasting material were recovered from the spot. The encounter, which took place gains significance as it comes a week after the Maoists had burnt machinery at the Dorli open cast mine in adjacent Tiryani mandal. Adellu, who carried a reward of INR 500,000 on his head, had escaped a series of encounters with the Police parties in the Jogapur forests of Asifabad in November 2005.

A pamphlet in the name of Prajaswamya Parirakshana Samiti (PPS) surfaced in the coal belt of Adilabad District a few days ago on an unspecified date. The pamphlet declares that the PPS has been formed to counter the activities of the CPI-Maoists and their sympathisers who operate under different garbs. The PPS says the extremists now operating in the District have come back after being driven away by people of Chhattisgarh where they had functioned for the last three years. In order to seek shelter, the Maoists are resorting to disturbing the peace prevailing in the tribal areas and the coal belt for the last three years, the period during which the Maoists had quit the District.

A Congress leader was severely injured when the CPI-Maoist cadres fired at him at his residence in Eturunagaram. According to information, five Maoists went to M.P.P. Jadi Laxmi's house at 7.30pm (IST) and immediately opened fire on her and her husband Rammurthy. Her husband sustained bullet injuries in his arm and leg. The Maoists branded him as Police informer and tried to eliminate him.

The Andhra Pradesh Police expressed apprehension that the CPI-Maoist cadres were infiltrating the ongoing agitation for a separate province of Telangana. They were seizing the opportunity of the 'possible huge gathering' in the State capital on December 10 (today) in response to the Chalo Assembly (Go to Assembly) call given by the Joint Action Committee of students. The Inspector-General of Police A. R. Anuradha, spokesperson of the State Police said, "We have received Intelligence reports that the movement has gone out of the students' hands and that Maoists and other professional agitators are moving in. Given such a situation, we do not wish to take any chance with law and order problem. The Maoists already are believed to be in Dandakaranya."

Police killed a CPI-Maoist cadre, in possession of a service revolver, in an encounter in the Dharmaram forests, some 15 kilometers from Yellandu, in the Khammam District at around 6am. According to reports, Vajja Rangaiah, who was accused in three murders committed in Khammam and Warangal Districts, was killed in an exchange of fire between a special Police party and a Maoist dalam (squad). Other members of the dalam managed to escape. Rangaiah, who was underground for four years, belonged to Polaram village in the District. A service pistol that belonged to the Chhattisgarh Police was found near his body.

The CPI-Maoist will stand by the people of Andhra Pradesh and build up 'public pressure' as long as the process for a separate state of Telangana is not initiated, the Maoist politburo member Kishen said. "We will build public pressure on the Government so that they start the process for a separate Telangana state. The people will not allow creating deliberate disturbance to stop statehood for Telangana," the Maoist leader said. He claimed that 'public pressure' had similarly paid off in case of anti-Maoist 'Operation Green Hunt'. "Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram had to tone down 'Operation Green Hunt' under tremendous public pressure," he said. Kishen also said that the problem of the people of Telangana would be solved through a 'new democratic revolution'. Maoists, he said, wanted the people of Telangana to have their constitutional rights and protection of their religion, culture and social customs. On the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland in north Bengal, Kishen said the GJM, spearheading a movement for such a state, "should not trust national leaders" and continue the movement. "The Gorkha leaders withdrew the bandh trusting Chidambaram and L. K. Advani (leader of opposition in Parliament). There is no reason to trust these leaders. They (Gorkha leaders) should carry on with their own political program until they succeed," he added.

The CPI-Maoist stepping up violence in Visakha Agency area during the last one month or so could be a tactical move, felt SP Vineet Brij Lal in Visakhapatnam. Talking to reporters the SP said that the Maoists activity was being observed in Pedabayalu and Munchingput mandals (administrative divisions). This could be a new strategy of Maoists as they were mainly concentrated and active in Orissa in the Andhra-Orissa Border (AOB) region and to escape pressure from the Police there after the Narayanapatna incident and another reason might be because the Andhra Pradesh Police were now more engaged with the ongoing agitation on the Telangana issue. During the last few incidents it was noticed that the Maoists, who would come into Andhra Pradesh area from Orissa and retreat after committing a crime, were foraying deeper into the Andhra Pradesh area instead of their usual practice of creating incidents very near the border on Andhra Pradesh side.

The Andhra Pradesh Police on their part were conducting orientation for its forces by conducting discussions on their operations to find out strengths and weaknesses. Violence witnessed during some incidents during the ongoing agitation might be related to the Maoists, he said. Visakhapatnam District received two platoons of Andhra Pradesh Special Police force, consisting of 60 members, and with 400 Armed Reserve and 900 civil Policemen, the force was sufficient to deal with the present level of agitation. On the reports that some of the Maoists leaders were moving around in the Agency area, Brij Lal said that the terrain in the District was their advantage and it was not possible to establish the communication network all over the area.

The District Police released posters as part of its campaign to contain the activities of the CPI-Maoist. The SP released posters with photos of 48 Maoist leaders and active dalam (squad) members in Visakhapatnam District along with details of reward on their heads, the destruction of vehicles engaged in laying roads in the Visakha Agency area and on the Maoists encouraging cultivation of ganja (marijuana) by the Girijans.

During the last two years, the Maoists disrupted work on laying of 10 roads in the Agency area by burning the vehicles engaged in the work on the plea that the roads were meant for bauxite mining. But the roads were in Pedabayalu, Munchingput and G. Madugula where bauxite mining was not planned. "This is a hypocrisy on the part of Maoists. By disrupting work on roads, they are also denying transport facility to the Girijans, for whom they are claiming to be fighting. They are not allowing road laying as they are scared of losing hold over the area", Brij Lal said. He called upon the Girijans to chase away the Maoists when road was disrupted. Recently villagers of Boodaralla in Koyyuru mandal did not respond to a call from the Maoists to attend a meeting, he pointed out. The poster on Maoist leaders has photos and details of top leaders like Ganapathi, Ganganna, RK, Jampanna, Bhaskar, Sudhakar and some other active cadres. Reward on the heads of these Maoists ranged from INR 12 lakhs to INR 20,000. There are 67 underground cadres in the District. Poster on the ganja cultivation has photos of ganja crop being raised by the Girijans at the behest of Maoists, who the SP alleged were allowing each Girijan family to raise 200 plants. Some Girijans arrested recently in the ganja cases revealed that the Maoists were receiving some cut from the traders from Kerala and Tamil Nadu who were financing the cultivation and smuggling ganja to other parts of the country, Brij Lal concluded.

Eight CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested by the Chintapalli special Police party at Korukonda village in Visakhapatnam on December 21 and the arrested were sent for remand on December 22. According to the District Police Officer, the eight belonged to Rollagedda village in Orissa, which is very near to Andhra border. They were carrying Maoist party literature, banners and other material, when they were arrested.

Two persons were arrested on charges of assisting the CPI-Maoist in collection of party funds in the Warangal District and INR 60 lakhwas seized from their possession, Police said. V Veeraiah and Siddam Shetty Vykuntam were arrested while they were handing over INR 60lakh, extorted amount from civil contractors, to the CPI-Maoist cadre near Gangugudem village under Eturnagaram Police Stations limits on December 25, Superintendent of Police (SP, Warangal) Shahnawaz Qasim told PTI over phone. Veeraiah and Siddam came to the forest abutting to Gangugudem village to handover the extorted money to the Maoist) cadre, but were arrested while around 12 CPI-Maoist cadres who came to collect the amount managed to escape in the dense forests after noticing the Police party, he said. The duo in their confession to the Police said that they were working for the CPI -Maoist and assisting it in extorting money, the senior Police officer added.

The Maoists came out in support of a separate Telangana, asking the people of the region to "wage a united militant mass struggle" to achieve the statehood. Azad, the spokesperson of the Central Committee of the CPI-Maoist, said in a statement that a separate state of Telangana is an "inalienable right" of the four crore people of the region. He called for a "united militant mass struggle" against the "fascist Congress regime" and the "betrayers" in various political garbs to "achieve" a separate Telangana. "Their sole fear was that any mass agitation would become militant and slip out of their hands," Azad alleged.

Police unearthed and seized a dump of seven wire bundles, used to make gelatin sticks, on the outskirts of Narsimhasagar village in the District, the SP said.

The CPI-Maoist cadres killed two tribal leaders, including the gram sarpanch (village head), in the Komanapalli village of Khammam District.. The dead were identified as sarpanch Kaviti Rajulu and his uncle and former village head Kaviti Subbaiah.

The Maoists have successfully created a parallel network working for the organisation in Komanapalli. They had a village-level committee working for the organisation on the lines of the 'sanghams' comprising militant supporters floated by the Maoists in the tribal habitations of the neighbouring Dantewada District. Four persons arrested from the village by the Police on September 14 were identified as members of the grama (village) committee. They all had confessed to be party to every activity sponsored by the extremists groups in the tribal pocket. One of the four members of the village committee, Thati Bhadraiah arrested by the Police, had committed suicide in Warangal central jail on November 27.

The Maoists had reportedly attributed the arrests to the CPI-Marxist supporters in the village. Sarpanch Kaviti Rajulu and former village head Kaviti Subbaiah, both staunch supporters of the CPI-Marxist in the pocket, had become their target in the episode. But the sarpanch, blamed for arrest of the Maoist supporters, had approached the Police officials and the elected representatives to secure their release. Though he was successful in the mission, he failed to convince the Maoists and hence paid the price. The Maoist raid on the village was planned and led by Sabari area committee secretary, Mutta Mogili alias Naresh. The armed Naxalites, who stormed the village, were accompanied by a group of Gothikoya youths from nearby villages in Maraigudem Police Stations (Chhattisgarh) limits. Maoists could gain a free passage to villages on the inter-state border ever since the Police outpost at Mallampet in Chintur mandal was shifted to Edugurallapallli and upgraded into a Police Station. It is highly difficult to keep track the movement of the Maoists dalams (squads) which were indulging in sneaky attacks and retreating to Chhattisgarh forests.

The CPI-Maoist is trying to resurface in Andhra Pradesh in a big way, the Director General of Police (DGP) R.R. Girish Kumar warned but assured that Police were keeping "utmost guard and vigil". The DGP said that Police were keeping "utmost guard and vigil" to thwart Maoists' attempts. "There is a move (by Maoists) to resurface in Andhra Pradesh in a big way. Any such attempt will be repulsed with all the force at our command," he said.

Claiming that Maoist activity in the State had ebbed to the lowest in over a decade, the DGP said Police remained vigilant in view of the developments in neighbouring States. "We are monitoring their activities across the border. We hope to reverse any effort to cross over and set up bases in the state," said Girish Kumar. He claimed to have received information about Maoists trying to regroup in Karimnagar, Adilabad and Warangal Districts. Andhra Pradesh, a former stronghold of Maoists, registered only 56 incidents of Maoist violence during 2009, against 96 last year. The number of incidents was as high as 576 in 2005. No Policeman was killed during 2009 while 34 Policemen were killed in 2008. The number of civilians killed has come down to 15 from 45 in 2008. The DGP said 13 Maoists were killed, 326 arrested and 91 surrendered during 2009. He also said that there were only 13 incidents of exchanges of fire with Police in 2009 as compared with 28 incidents in 2008. The State Police, including the elite Grey-Hounds, has received laurels for anti-Naxalite operations, the DGP added.

The DGP noted that not a single Policeman was killed by Maoists in a year for the first time. The daily, however, quoted the DGP as saying that 16 Naxalites were shot dead in encounters by the Police, which were again the lowest in a year. The DGP said the killing of Patel Sudhakar Reddy, a member of the central committee of the CPI-Maoist, in an encounter in Warangal was the biggest success of Police on Naxalite front during 2009. The Government was examining proposals to establish 15 marine Police Stations and seven outposts keeping in view the threat of infiltration of terrorists along the coast line.

The Visakhapatnam District Police is on high alert in view of the January 2 bandh call given by the CPI-Maoist in support of separate Telangana. "Though the situation in the agency area is peaceful at the moment, we are anticipating violence from across the border with Orissa," Superintendent of Police Vinit Brijlal told The Hindu.