Andhra Pradesh Timeline 2012

Date

Incidents

January 5

DGP V. Dinesh Reddy said heavy security cover would be provided to facilitate expeditious completion of various road works taken up under the IAP for the areas affected by CPI-Maoist.

Around 50 Maoists belonging to the Korukonda Dalam and their sympathisers of the CPI-Maoist blasted the Forest Department Office and check-post at Lothugedda in Vishakhapatnam District to make their presence felt in the region.

The cadres of the CPI-Maoist pasted posters at Chowdupalli in Chintapalli mandal of Visakhapatnam District demanding the people's representatives to pass a resolution against mining of bauxite in the Agency.

A former Maoist female cadre, Veeramalla Pushpa (35), was found dead at her residence in Ramanthapur in Hyderabad under the Uppal Police limits.

Nune Narasimha Reddy alias Ganganna, a key CPI-Maoist leader and State Committee member, was reportedly arrested by special party Police teams at Old Guntur. Ganganna, who has been in judicial remand for the last one-and-a-half years in the District jail, was released on January 17.

The Centre sanctioned INR 1.8 billion for six more Districts in Andhra Pradesh under the IAP for selected tribal and backward Districts to cope with the Maoist menace.

The honeymoon between the CPI-Maoist and TRS party has come to an end with the failure of month long general strike by Telangana employees headed by K. Chandrashekhar Rao and Prof. Kodhandaram. TDP has alleged that they have pledged the Telangana agitation to the Union Government to bag Polavaram tenders. The North Telangana wing CPI-Maoist leader Jagan has heavily comes down on KCR and Prof. Kodhandaram for the same reasons.

Seendri Bathro alias Badri (35), from Kannvaram under Mampa Police Station in Koyyru mandal of Visakhapatnam District was found killed with his neck strangulated. A letter left at the spot reportedly by some CPI-Maoist cadres said he was killed for being a 'police informer'.

An UAV or drone is likely to be pressed into service in the Visakhapatnam and other border Districts of Andhra Pradesh to help in intelligence gathering on a real-time basis.

A magisterial inquiry will be held on February 13 at 11 a.m. in Nalgonda District mandal revenue office into the death of an unidentified CPI-Maoist cadre following an exchange of fire with Police at Narayanpur village on January 17, 1998.

The recent surrender of 15-year-old tribal, Kursinge Divya alias Bharatakka, a CPI-Maoist cadre in Adilabad District has made anti-Maoist SF's suspicious of Maoists activating 'sleepers' in order to build an alternative communication network. According to sources, the Maoists used to stage cultural programmes with revolutionary overtones in ashram schools located in remote villages in the Mangi forests. Apparently, the aim was to mentally prepare tribal children to join the underground stream when required to do so in future.

Tension gripped the Andhra Pradesh-Chhattisgarh border following the reported death of three SF personnel in a land-mine blast allegedly triggered off by CPI-Maoist cadres in the Polampalli forest area of Dantewada District in Chhattisgarh.

Four CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested by the Charla Police near Timmirigudem village in Khammam District during patrolling. According to Police, the arrested Maoists - Madivi Lakma, Vetti Adama, Kovasi Inga, and Podium Joga- all in the age group of 20 to 25 years, were residents of Yerrampadu, a tribal hamlet of the Gutti Koyas tribe. They were involved in the burning of a hydraulic excavator near Gisarelli village.

The Nizamabad Police (rural) arrested a fake Maoist, Eligeti Ravi Prakash, who demanded money from a businessman, G. Subash Reddy.

Three hydraulic excavators allegedly set ablaze by a group of cadres of the CPI-Maoist at Modingedda in GK Veedhi mandal in Visakhapatnam District. The Maoists left posters saying that any move to start bauxite mining would result in such reaction from the CPI-Maoist and that the Government must immediately stop the Green Hunt Operation against Maoists.

CPI-Maoist cadres triggered a blast at the coffee-seeds godown of the APFDC at Lankapaakala village in G.K Veedhi Mandal of Visakhapatnam District, demanding distribution of its coffee plantations to the Girijans.

Contradicting the claims of the Central Government which blames the loss of forest cover to the CPI-Maoist, the Andhra Pradesh forest department says that the loss of forest cover is due to encroachments.

A dalam 'commander' of the CPI-Maoist, Sutari Papa Rao (42) alias Singanna, was killed in an exchange of fire with a Police party near Sayannapalli village in Gundala mandal of Khammam District.

In a renewed bid to flush out Maoists from the AOB, the Government is hurrying with the setting up of paramilitary and Special Forces bases in north coastal Districts.

The G. K. Veedhi Police arrested a CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Pangi Gopala Rao of Kampumanipaakalu in Visakhapatnam District. A member of the Korukonda dalam of the CPI-Maoist, he was reportedly picked up by the Police during a combing operation recently and was kept in the G.K. Veedhi Police Station.

The State Government is likely to increase the reward to between INR 100,000 and INR 2.5 million. The State Police have proposed INR 2.5 million as reward for the capture or surrender of high-ranking central committee members such as Ganapati and Mallojula Venugopal. The proposal is awaiting the Government's approval.

G K Veedhi Police in Visakhapatnam District arrested a cadre of Galikonda area committee of CPI-Maoist, Gemmeli Balaraju, at G Addaraveedhi. Balaraju of Boddamanupakalu was involved in the two murder cases - killing of Majji Madhava Rao, a forest ranger, at Lankapakalu and Pangi Das, a Police informer, at GK Veedhi.

The Maoists has issued a warning to an IAS officer for 'discriminating against tribals'. Maoist east division 'secretary' Ganesh warned in a news release in Paderu in Visakhapatnam District that the people would teach a lesson to Paderu sub-collector Kartikeya Misra if he did not mend his arrogant ways.

A Naxal belonging to CPI-ML-New Democracy, identified as Gujjula Karunakar Reddy (23) alias Bharath, surrendered before the Police in the presence of Circle Inspector V Suresh at Gudur mandal in Warangal District. Bharath hails from Nalgonda District and worked with Suryam dalam and Soma Bhaskar dalam.

Two civilians were injured in the crossfire between a Police team and the CPI-Maoist cadres in of Allubaka and Thippapuram forest area in Khammam District. The exchange of fire took place when a Police team combing the forest areas came under fire from Maoists at around 2 AM to 2:30 AM, which was retaliated by the Police team.

The Maoists set ablaze equipment in the BSNL telephone exchange at G. Madugula in Viskhapatnam District late in the evening. A group of five Maoists of the Korukonda area committee entered the exchange and poured petrol on the panel board and other equipment and set them on fire.

A CPI-Maoist leader, Tupakula Ramanjaneyamma alias Santhi, a leader of the AOB carrying a head money of INR 500,000, was arrested near Kondramutla village in Ipur mandal in Guntur District.

A LWE, Grandhi Vikanna, was shot at by his comrades over a dispute on sharing of booty in the forests near Nagarjunasagar reservoir in Guntur District. He was rushed to nearby Government hospital in a serious condition.

CPI-Maoist cadres blew up a culvert in GK Veedhi mandal in Visakhapatnam District, protesting against the Government's move to permit bauxite mining in the Agency.

Another group of Maoists felled trees near Lothugedda junction and placed them across the road in Visakha Agency in the District. The Maoists put up many banners on the road demanding the Central and State Tribal Welfare Ministers, who represent the Agency, to come out with a clear statement that bauxite mining would not be taken up in the Agency.

A CPI-Maoist 'commander' of Indervelli dalam in Adilabad, Gundarapu Kistakka alias Lalitha, surrendered herself to the District Police.

The nation-wide bandh called by the CPI-Maoist evoked good response in Visakhapatnam District while response was mixed in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam Districts.

The Police arrested two CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as Gollari Kondababu of Gadapari village and Lake Mohana Rao of Nallabilli, from an unspecified place under GK Veedhi mandal in Visakhapatnam District.

Guntur Police arrested the CPI-ML-Janashakti 'state secretary' Subhash alias Narayanalingam Tyagaraju alias Prakash in Guntur District. Police also arrested three of his associates and recovered four 12 bore SSB guns, a country-made pistol, 20 SLR live rounds and four thapanchas from their possession.

75 CPI-Maoist cadres belonging to the Korukonda Area Committee of the CPI-Maoist surrendered before the Police in Visakhapatnam District.

The Gurazala Police arrested three LWEs, identified as Mohan alias Prakash, Jathavatu Krishna Naik and Challa Ramalingeswara Rao, belonging to the CPI-ML-Janashakti, from a place in Karampudi mandal in Guntur District. The Police recovered a tapancha and a live cartridge from their possession.

Nakka Vijay alias Jeevan (29), a top cadre of the CPI-ML-Janashakti of Odisha surrendered before the Karimnagar District Police in Karimnagar on April 10 along with four weapons, ammunition and INR 311, 000 in cash. Jeevan, a native of Baddenapalli village of Sircilla mandal in Karimnagar District, joined the party in 2004.

Seeking to highlight the efficacy of the policies pursued by the Congress Government since 2004 to end the problem of LWE, Chief Minister, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy claimed that the number of CPI-Maoist cadres in the State had dwindled to mere 150 from 1,100 eight years ago.

Cadres of the Venkatapuram area committee of the CPI-Maoist allegedly killed one U. Guravaiah (23), branding him a Police informer, near Pedamidisileru village in Charla mandal of Khammam District.

Police in Neelampalli village of Mahadevpur mandal in Karimnagar District arrested two CPI-Maoist cadres during a regular vehicle checking. The arrestees were identified as V. Shekhar (30) and K. Shyamsundar (27), a former deputy dalam 'commander' and now working as active militant and native of Bhoorgudem.

Three Naxalites, including two belonging to the CPI-Maoist, surrendered in Warangal District. The surrendered Maoist cadres include 'deputy commander' of Sironcha dalam (South Gadchiroli division of Maharashtra), Pasham Swaroopa (22), and Agaboina Sambaiah (24), member of Singanna dalam that operates in Narasampet and Kothaguda areas.

All the 32 detained Adivasis of Chhattisgarh were produced before the executive magistrate in Kusumanchi mandal in Khammam District by the local Police and later let off.

A constable of SIB of Andhra Police, Pangi Appanna, was shot dead by CPI-Maoist cadres at Paderu in Visakhapatnam District. Reportedly, the Maoists had also made an attempt on his life four years ago.

Normal life was partially hit in Vizianagaram District the first day of two-day bandh, April 29-30, called by the Korukonda area committee of the CPI-Maoist in the AOBSZC area. The committee had given a call for the bandh demanding suspension of the Operation Green Hunt.

The CPI-Maoist has 'blamed' SIB Head Constable K. Appanna, who was shot dead at Paderu on April 26 for converting Girijan youths into informers with inducement of money and undermining the revolution.

Some CPI-Maoist cadres reportedly destroyed country-made liquor and warned tribal people against brewing illicit liquor at the weekly shandy at Busiputtu village of Pedabayalu mandal in Visakhapatnam.

A CPI -Maoist leader, Gadi Rambabu, 'deputy commander' of Peddapalli Area Committee was arrested from the outskirts of Chinnaboyanpalli village in Eturunagaram area of Warangal District, Additional Senior Superintendent of Police (ASSP) Senthil Kumar said. 20 rounds of ammunition were also seized from his possession. He was carrying an award of INR 50,000 on his head and was also allegedly involved in the killing of AP Rayons Factory Deputy Manager Ramakrishna in May 2011, Police said.

Two Maoists were killed in an exchange of fire in the Luvasingi forest area in G. Madugula mandal in Visakhapatnam District. The exchange of fire lasted three to four hours, according to unconfirmed reports. Later, the Police found bodies of two youths aged around 25 years. A tapancha and a bucketful of grenades were found near the bodies. They could be members of the armed militia of the Maoist outfit or members of the Korukonda area committee which is active in that area, Police said. Fifteen kit bags were recovered from the area where the exchange of fire took place.

The Maoists held a people's court in Mukkunur village of Mahadevpur forest area in Karimnagar District, fired at former Sarpanch Venkatswamy, beat up former block member Chinnappa and abducted a surrendered Maoist Narender.

A 'deputy commander' of the Galikonda dalam of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Pangi Aasu (32) of Mandapalli village of Koyyuru mandal in Visakhapatnam District, surrendered before the Police in East Godavari District. He carried a cash reward of INR 50,000 on head.

In a related development, Police recovered a huge dump from Dadalikawada hamlet of Ramachandrapuram.

The Maoists partially blew up the quarters a forest section officer, Kurasam Rajulu, at Sitanagaram in Dummugudem mandal of Khammam District. Accusing him of harassing Adivasis (tribals), Maoists assaulted him with rifle butts also.

A group of CPI-Maoist cadres fired at Mothugudem Sub Inspector, Srinivas, and two constables near Kothur village in Chintur mandal in Khammam District adjoining Konta block in Chhattisgarh while the Policemen were proceeding to Edugurallapalli in an autorickshaw. While Srinivas had a narrow escape, Ramesh, a constable of the Mothugudem Police Station, sustained a bullet wound. The Maoists were digging up the Boddugudem-Pothuru main road near Kothur (for the Bharat bandh on May 16) when the incident occurred. A case was registered against the members of the Sabari Dalam (squad), said Police.

Adilabad Police recovered a huge arms dump belonging to the CPI-Maoist from the Mangi-Dongapalli forest in Adilabad District.

The Maoists blocked vehicular movement on the Charla-Bhadrachalam main road near Devarapalli village in Charla mandal and on the Venkatapuram-Charla highway near Alubaka village in Khammam District as part of the nation-wide bandh called by the outfit.

Suspected Maoists shot dead a former Naxalite suspecting him to be a police informer at Bojjiguppa village in Bhadrachalam rural mandal in Khammam District.

Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres allegedly whisked away two youths from the interior village of Dongala Jaggaram in Chintur mandal in Khammam District in the midnight for questioning in connection with the whereabouts of one of their "targets". According to sources, the suspected Maoists let them off after questioning late in the evening of May 22.

An auto rickshaw driver was injured when a group of armed extremists opened fire on a siren-fitted auto rickshaw heading for night patrolling near a paddy field in Charla town in Bhadrachalam division in Khammam District around midnight. P Nagendra (22) sustained bullet wounds. However, no policeman was present in the auto rickshaw.

Police arrested three Maoist sympathisers from an area under Mahadevpur Police Station in Karimnagar District. The arrestees identified as V. Shekhar (30) of Neelampalli village and A. Satyanarayana (20) and T. Prasada Rao (37) of Mukunuru village of Mahadevpur mandal (administrative unit) were directly, involved in the attack on former Congress elected representatives in Mukunuru village of the mandal in the District on May 9. The trio were also charged for aiding the Maoists and working as cover organisation members of the party.

Police arrested five Maoists from Gorellametta village under Koyyuru mandal in Vishakhapatnam District. The arrestees are identified as Tambelu Chinna Rao alias Buggu, Marri Chinna alias Vishnu, Pangi Appa Rao alias Judunga, Senderi Benny Babu alias Benny, Marri Nani alias Polu. Police recovered a landmine, wire bundles, batteries, detonators and other explosive materials from the arrested cadres. Buggu admitted that the Maoist leaders had asked them to store the landmine in the house. A Police official said the arrested were involved in attack on Police at Balapam and bus looting in Pedavalasa, GK Veedhi mandal.

Police unearthed a dump belonging to the CPI-Maoist from Venkatapur forests in Asifabad mandal in Adilabad District. The dump consisting of electric wires, torches, audio-video cassettes, nut-bolts, red flags, soap boxes, tea and green caps was found buried in the ground on the outskirts of Samitilagundam village.

The slain CPI-Maoist Central Committee leader Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad's wife Koliparthy Padma alias Seetakka and six others were arrested at Khanapur village in Narsampet division of Warangal District. Padma is a member of Maoist party Nallamala division committee. Sources said Padma, four members of a family, all of whom are hardcore Maoists and two others were heading to the forests for a 'contact' with Chhattisgarh Maoist leaders along with courier Kiran. Police also recovered INR 40,000 from them. Athmakur Ramanaiah, wife Annapoorna, son Sunil and daughter Bujjamma were among the four other arrested Maoists belonging to the same family.

M. Chandram, a Naxalite active during the 90s and who worked in Girayipalli dalam in Medak District of Andhra Pradesh, surrendered before N. Koti Reddy, ASP at Siddipet. According to Reddy, Chandram was underground and took shelter in Mumbai for the past 15 years.

The special party Police unearthed a major CPI-Maoist arms dump, including rocket launchers and its spare parts, at Palagedda in Y Ramavaram mandal in East Godavari District. The Police unearthed six to eight main parts of a rocket launcher, iron rods used as barrels of double and single barrel guns, bolts and nuts. They also recovered iron rods intended to be made into barrels for guns, besides other explosive material. According to sources, the rocket launchers were believed to have been procured from Chennai where the outfit's technical committee member Madhu established a manufacturing unit.

Two top CPI-Maoist cadres, Vijay Kumar Arya and V Subramaniam, who were lodged in a high security cell in Bhagalpur central jail, were taken to Hyderabad by Andhra Pradesh Police after obtaining their transit remand from a court in Katihar District of Bihar.

Protesting against bauxite mining and the Operation Green Hunt, Maoists set ablaze an excavator being used for laying a 10 kilometres road between Chatrapalle and Galikonda in GK Veedhi mandal, which is near to the area where bauxite deposits are present in Visakhapatnam District. The Maoists are opposing the Government's plans to exploit the huge bauxite reserve in the Visakha Agency. About 15 armed Maoists of the Galikonda area committee, including women, were involved in the incident.

A landmine weighing 15 kg concealed under a culvert on Laxminagaram-Maraigudem road in Dummugudem mandal in Khammam District, in an alleged bid to kill Policemen was recovered by the Police during a combing operation.

The Dummugudem Police registered cases against the CPI-Maoist Khammam District secretary Kiran and other Maoists on the charges of planting a landmine under a culvert on Laxminagaram-Maraigudem road in Dummugudem mandal that was recovered by Police on June 28.

Six cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested by police at Rallagedda in GK Veedhi mandal of Visakhapatnam District. Sources said that the Maoists were armed and gathered at a house for a meeting. They were surrounded and with the Police party far outnumbering the Maoists the latter had to give in. The Maoist cadres have among them at least one woman member and are carrying rifles and double barrel guns. Along with the Maoists about 30 villagers were also brought to Narsipatnam. However, a top Police official here did not go beyond confirming the arrest of the six Maoists. The arrested cadres were yet to be identified, he added.

The SFs unearthed a major Maoist dump in the faraway Duggeru forest area in Makkuva mandal of Vizianagaram District. The dump contained more than 40 kilograms of explosive material and other weapons.

The Alwal Police arrested four persons, including three former Naxalites, for their alleged involvement in extortion cases in Medak District. Police seized a 6 mm pistol, five live rounds and two bikes from their possession. The arrestees are identified as P Anjaiah (32), of Lakdaram village, Ramesh Reddy (34), of Rudraram, Harikrishna Reddy (35), of Dukampur and Srinivas (31), of Jakkampet of the District.

Special task force and CRPF personnel unearthed a Maoist dump containing 50 country made empty grenades and its parts, eight empty pressure mines, seventy-one 12 bore cartridges, one transistor, tape recorder, man pack and dry batteries in the forest area of YSR Palli in Komarada mandal of Vizianagaram. Police suspect AOBSZC and Srikakulam-Koraput Joint Division Committee of the CPI-Maoist have planted the dump with an intention to target combing parties. This was the second incident in the last couple of days. Recently, the combing parties chanced upon two landmines planted beneath a road at Duggeru in Makkuva mandal.

The Police arrested seven members of CNM, a CPI-Maoist cultural outfit, and two APCLC leaders from platform No 53 of Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station in Hyderabad city. The 18-member CNM team arrived in the city on the invitation of APCLC to perform cultural programmes for creating awareness among people about the recent encounter killings of civilians by anti-Maoist forces at Basaguda in Chhattisgarh.

A former LWE cadre B. Venkanna (30) belonging to the CPI-ML Praja Pratighatana, and his wife Sunitha, who allegedly made telephone calls to a top official of the Heavy Water Plant at Manuguru seeking to extort money, were arrested by the Police in Khammam District of Andhra Pradesh. The Police seized ten gelatine sticks and some detonators from Venkanna.

The Bhadrachalam rural Police have claimed that they have arrested Bandi Kiran, a B.Tech student, and the son of the CPI-Maoist leader Bandi Prakash, and two "couriers" of the outfit under the Andhra Pradesh Public Security Act in Khammam District.

The first day of the two-day bandh of the AOB to protest against Operation Green Hunt failed to evoke any response in Visakhapatnam District. There were no untoward incidents reported in any of the 11 mandals in the agency area.

A suspected woman CPI-Maoist squad commander of Chhattisgarh was reportedly detained by the Police in Charla mandal in Khammam District of Andhra Pradesh.

As many as 148 members of the CPI-Maoist militia and frontal organisations of the CPI-Maoist, surrendered en masse before the Police at Bhadrachalam in Khammam District. Announcing this at a press conference, Superintendent of Police P Hari Kumar said the surrendered Maoist militia members; including three women, belong to Charla, Venkatapuram and Wajedu mandals of Bhadrachalam division.

The Police arrested nine members of a ten-member gang of pseudo-Maoists who committed offences claiming themselves as members of Sambashivudu dalam and Thummala Bhagavanthu dalam from VLN Poultry farm situated on the outskirts of Arkepally village of Madgul mandal in Mahbubnagar District.

Police arrested five dalam members of the CPI-Maoist during a combing operation in Chelamalla forest area of the Charla mandal of Bhadrachalam division in Khammam District. Two guns, ammunition and sharp weapons were also seized from them. After interrogation, it was revealed that the five Maoists worked in the Venkatapuram area committee and were members of the Sukhadev and Sunil dalams.

Kodapa Ganesh, a deserter Police constable, who later got to the status of one of the most wanted Naxalites, surrendered himself to Adilabad District Police. According to the Police files, the Naxalite is known as a member of Mangi dalam and carried a reward of INR 20,000. He is believed to have operated in Chhattisgarh's Dandakaranya area and Odisha before coming back.

The Andhra Pradesh Government extended by one year the ban on the CPI-Maoist and six of its affiliates while declaring the Revolutionary Democratic Front as an "unlawful association". The ban on CPI-Maoist has been extended as per the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Public Security Act, 1992 and would come into effect from August 17, the order said.

The Union Government sanctioned funds worth INR 4.1329 billion Andhra Pradesh under the PMGSY for constructing roads in six Naxal-affected Districts. In a letter to CM Kiran Kumar Reddy, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said the Centre has sanctioned money for 271 road works, measuring 829.41 km, in six Naxal-hit Districts.

The Venkatapuram area committee of the CPI-Maoist has given a bandh call for Khammam District in protest against the alleged oppression of tribals by the Government. The Maoists pasted wall posters near Dosillapalli and the nearby villages in Charla mandal of the District on August 15 midnight as a prelude to the District bandh, sources said.

The Police arrested three alleged Naxalites belonging to the CPI-ML Praja Pratighatana on the charge of extortion in Warangal District of Andhra Pradesh. The alleged Naxals were identified as M Sreenu, Nageshwar Rao and Pittala Ilaiah (all from Warangal District). Police seized two SBML guns from them. The three were a part of armed squad under Gampala Raghupathi alias Mohananna alias Damodar.

T. Anil Kumar, member of the technical wing of CPI-Maoist, was arrested by the Police at Veluru area in Chilakaluripet mandal in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh. Kumar is a member of the Maoists' Dandakaranya committee which is active in some pockets of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Maharashtra.

Pothuru Raja Rao alias Bhupati (32), a top leader of the east division committee of the CPI-Maoist carrying a reward of INR 300,000 on his head, surrendered before the Police in Vishakhapatnam District. Bhupati was allegedly involved in the attack on the Chodavaram Police Station in August 2002, the Balimela incident of June 2008, exchange of fire at Gunukurai and Rasarai and killing of five tribals. "East division and the party have been weakened. Arrogance on the part of some leaders and the decisions taken by them are the reasons. The party ideology is also getting diluted. I opposed the killing of Majji Madhava Rao (AP Forest Development Corporation's employee) but they went ahead," Bhupati said.

Suspected Maoists set ablaze a BSNL cell tower and damaged a cable box by dousing it with oil procured from a generator at Yerrasamanthula Valasa village in Makkuva mandal in Vizianagaram District in protest against the fake encounter death of Maoist Rajendra at Kommuguda village in Bandhugaon block in Koraput District (Odisha) on August 18.

About 30 armed Maoists went to the village and pasted posters on walls and tied banners announcing Andhra Odisha Border (AOB) bandh on August 31.

Six cadres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) surrendered before the Additional Superintendent of Police A.R. Damodar at Paderu in the Agency area of the Visakhapatnam District on September 5, reports The Hindu. The surrendered Maoists were members of the Galikonda, Korukonda and Pedabayalu Dalams (squads) who were involved in major incidents such as the Balimela, Gunukurai and Pedavalasa. Some of them said they were disillusioned with the Maoist party while others claimed they were leaving it on health grounds. The surrendered Maoists were Pangi Shakeela alias Chinni (21), Madatakonda Sujata (23), Pangi Anjali (21), Gemmili Lokesh (26), Korra Radhakrishna alias Ramesh (24) and Korra Kameswara Rao alias Balti (25).

Police arrested seven persons including five on charge of acting as couriers for the CPI-Maoist and two armed militia members of the outfit for allegedly firing on a Police official in Khammam District. Police recovered 50 gelatin sticks, INR 40,000 in cash, some medicines, snake anti-venom, besides five cell-phones from the possession of the couriers.

Police also arrested two armed militia members identified as M Chukka and Makkammudda, who were part of a 150-member militia group from Chhattisgarh which fired on a Police official belonging to Mothugudem in May.

Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said fear of Maoist dominance in the proposed Telangana State is 'an issue' in deciding the separate statehood. Presenting his first report card as Home Minister, Shinde said it was not a simple issue and an early decision is not possible at this stage.

A CPI-Maoist leader of Maharashtra State Committee identified as K. Ashok Reddy alias Murali and three alleged Maoist couriers identified as Chintapalli Venkateshwarlu alias Srinu, a native of Chinturu, S.K. Bhikku Bhai alias Basha of Kurnool District and A. Venkataramana of Kadapa District were arrested by the Police during a vehicle-checking operation in Charla mandal in Khammam District. Ashok Reddy was proceeding along with three Maoist couriers to meet some of the top leaders of the CPI-Maoist with an objective to strengthen the outfit in the north Telangana area.

The STF personnel unearthed a landmine weighing three kilograms placed under the road between Kolleguda and Balesu villages in G.L. Puram mandal in Vizianagaram District of Andhra Pradesh. The landmine, concealed in a steel carrier, has one kilogram of explosive material, two detonators, and 80 crude iron particles.

Addressing tribal farmers of Paderu Agency area at Konthili village in Hukumpeta mandal in Visakhapatnam District, Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh said the Government should be spending more time in development works than deploying paramilitary forces in the Agency areas of the District, and called upon the tribal people to participate in developmental activities and not support the CPI-Maoist.

Jangu alias Pawan, commander in-charge of platoon number 23 and his wife Laxmi Aundhi, who belonged to local operation squads, surrendered before the Adilabad District Police in Andhra Pradesh. The couple was active in Maoist-hit Mohla-Manpur and Aundhi area in Rajnandgaon District of Chhattisgarh, Vij said. Jangu was active in Chhattisgarh since 2006.

An armed dalam of the CPI-Maoist had crossed over to Adilabad District from Gadchiroli in Maharashtra during the three-day protest in Hyderabad on Telengana issue at the end of September. The Maoists crossed the Pranhita river at some point in Dahegaon mandal on the District's border with Gadchiroli in Maharashtra.

CPI-Maoist east division's official spokesperson Vijayalakshmi in a press release sent to reporters in Visakha Agency area has alleged that some statements are being issued in the name of its leader Azad and a group of persons are extorting money from people in the Agency and the plain areas, including Visakhapatnam city, in the name of Maoist party.

Four suspected CPI-Maoist cadres killed K. Venkat Reddy (45), a Congress leader at Reddygudem in Palvancha mandal in Khammam District. The Maoists left behind a letter at the incidents site in the name of the Badru dalam of the Kothaguda-Narsampet area.

Two vehicles comprising a Bolero jeep and a truck of Essar Company engaged in repair work of the Essar Kirandul--Vizag pipeline at Digajenaba hamlet were set ablaze allegedly by the CPI-Maoist cadres under GK Veedhi Mandal limits in Visakhapatnam District of Andhra Pradesh.

Punem Saraiah, CPI-Maoist 'militia commander-in-chief' of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, was arrested by the Bhadrachalam Sub-Divisional Police during a joint combing operation with CRPF personnel in the Kurnapalli forest area in Charla mandal in Khammam District of Andhra Pradesh. The Police recovered a stengun, ten bullets, a claymore mine and other explosive material from his possession.

DGP Dinesh Reddy while speaking to media after inaugurating the CRPF barracks at Kailasagiri in Visakhapatnam District said, 15 helicopters would be deployed soon to track and flush out Maoists from the dense forests of AOB which is one of their strongholds in the country after the Dandakaranya region in Chhattisgarh. The DGP said the UAV would be available for full-fledged operations within three-four months.

Kovasi Eduma (22), and Madakam Jyothi (20), both Maoist dalam members of Konta area in Chhattisgarh, were arrested by the Police near Aswapurampadu under Karakagudem Police Station in Pinapaka mandal in Khammam District. Maoist banners and pamphlets were recovered from their possession.

The Fourth Additional District and Sessions Court in Tirupati in Chittoor District acquitted Maoist leader Panduranga Reddy alias Sagar and another accused Gangi Reddy in Alipiri bomb blast case allegedly targeting former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in 2003, on the ground that the prosecution reportedly failed to prove the charges against them beyond doubt. The court, however, upheld the seven-year sentence awarded to two other accused Ramaswamy Reddy and Nagarjuna, both gelatin stick traders.

Kammella Raghavaiah (38), a Congress leader in Mahadevpur mandal was killed by CPI-Maoist cadres at Pankena village in Karimnagar District. The Maoists were suspecting that Raghavaiah was a Police informer.

G Venkanna, a former cadre of the CPI-ML-Janashakti was arrested on extortion charge by a Police team near Karepalli crossroads at Yellendu in Khammam District. A country-made revolver was recovered from his possession.

Bandarapu Mallaiah alias Chandranna, heading South division of the CPI Maoist in Gadchiroli of Maharashtra and his wife Gadhagoni Balavva alias Vijaya, reportedly surrendered to the Andhra Pradesh Police in Khammam District.

A group of six former Naxalites demanded that justice be given to them in the shape of rehabilitation as promised when they had surrendered themselves to the law.

The NTSZC of CPI-Maoist pasted wall posters in Borlagudem, Sthambampalli and Kotharegulagudem villages of Mahamutharam mandal in Karimnagar District appealing the people to observe north Telangana bandh on November 15 and 16 in protest against the anti-people policies of the State and the Central Governments.

Despite stepped up surveillance by the Police, CPI-Maoist cadres felled trees at K Kondapuram in Venkatapuram mandal of Khammam District in broad daylight and disrupted vehicular movement on Venkatapuram-Bhadrachalam road on the first day of the two-day north Telangana bandh called by NTSZC of the CPI-Maoist.

A top CPI-Maoist leader, Bandarapu Mallaiah alias Chandranna, who operated in Gadchiroli District of Maharashtra and was allegedly involved in several attacks including the ambush at Lahiri in 2009 in which 15 Police personnel were killed, surrendered before the Khammam District Police.

CPI-Maoist cadres stopped APSRTC bus plying between Deverapalli and Narsipatnam at Lingavaram in G.K. Veedhi mandal in Visakhapatnam District and hung banners and pasted posters on it asking people to observe and make success the weeklong 12th anniversary of the PLGA week being observed from December 2 to 8.

CPI-Maoist cadres set on fire a road-roller at Deverapalli in GK Veedhi mandal of Visakhapatnam District.

A former Sarpanch of Vanchela Panchayat in G.K. Veedhi mandal of Visakhapatnam District managed to escape from the clutches of CPI-Maoist cadres.

Six CPI-Maoist sympathisers were arrested by a Special Combing Party near Deekshakunta forest area in Warangal District.

The CPI-Maoist cadres killed a tribal man, identified as Madakam Adamal (45), accusing him of being a Police informer at a habitation of Gutti Koyas near Thatilanka village in Chintur mandal in Khammam District.

The CPI-Maoist urged the people to join PLGA, the military wing of the Maoists, to protect the natural resources of the forests, through posters and leaflets pasted at Sapparla in GK Veedhi mandal in the name of Galikonda Area Committee in Vishakhapatnam District.

The PLGA Week celebrations began on December 2 and went on smoothly with no major incident being reported from the region.

A group of CPI-Maoist cadres of the Sabari Dalam allegedly poured kerosene on a parked road roller and set it ablaze at Burkankota village in Chintur mandal in Khammam District. The Maoists left behind a letter, at the incident site, demanding stoppage of the road works.

The Andhra Pradesh State Government has permitted the intelligence department to hire a Mi-172 helicopter for anti-Maoist operation, at a cost of INR 150 million per year.

The CPI-Maoist Central leadership handed over the responsibilities of AOBSZC to the senior-most commander among the present lot, Gajarla Ravi alias Uday alias Ganesh alias Charcharla Ganesh, giving rest to Central Committee member Akkiraju Haragopal alias Ramakrishna alias RK.

The MHA has advised LWE affected States to set up joint task forces while choppers are being provided for anti-Maoist operations, said V. Dinesh Reddy, DGP, Andhra Pradesh.

Andhra Pradesh Government has announced cash rewards ranging from INR 1 to INR 2.5 million to encourage the CPI-Maoist cadres to surrender in the State.

To eliminate the CPI-Maoist influence in Visakha Agency and to facilitate the safe transit of VVIPs, the Andhra Pradesh State Government sanctioned INR 2.4 million to construct six helipads in the District.