A 12 years old girl escaped from Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) custody, two months after she was abducted at gunpoint from Venkatapuram village in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, reports newsmeter.in on July 28. Police have handed over the minor girl to her parents at Chinturu in East Godavari District on July 27. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Chinturu, Krishna Kanth, said that Charla-Sabari ‘area committee members’ (ACMs) Aruna, Geetha, Rajesh, Chiluka and few other members had abducted the 12-year-old girl from Venkatapuram village on May 17. When the parents of the girl tried to stop them, the Maoists threatened them with dire consequences. Police said Maoists used her as a bonded labourer and forced her to ferry essential goods in the forest area. They have also made the girl serve unwell Maoist leaders. Police said Maoists also ill-treated the girl and ignored her pleas.
The first day of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) ‘martyrs’ week’ passed with no untoward incident being reported from the Mandals (administrative sub-divisions) in Visakha Agency in Visakhapatnam District of Andhra Pradesh, reports The Hindu on July 29. In view of the ‘martyrs’ week’, teams of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Andhra Pradesh Special Police (APSP) and Greyhounds are on high alert at the Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB). Additional Police forces have been deployed in the forests to intensify combing operations. Night vision and drone camera technology are being used to identify the Maoists’ camping areas. Reportedly, the Maoists have been observing the ‘martyrs’ week’ ever since Charu Majumdar, founder of the Naxal [Left Wing Extremism, LWE] movement in the country, died in Police custody in West Bengal on July 28, 1972. The week is observed between July 28 and August 3. The Maoists organise mass public meetings. However, many incidents of violence such as targetting vital installations, blasting landmines, attacks on Security Forces (SFs) and killing tribals after labelling them as ‘informers’ have also been reported during the period.