Andhra Police apprehend Maoist sympathisers in Penamaluru

AMARAVATI(Andhra Pradesh): The Andhra Police apprehended a group of Maoist sympathisers living in a single building in Penamaluru, Krishna District, on Tuesday. Illegal weapons were also discovered in their possession, police said on Tuesday.

According to Mahesh Chandra Ladda, the Additional DGP of law and order, police forces detained six suspects, including one woman, during the operation. Officials confirmed that they had gathered concrete intelligence indicating the suspects’ connections to Maoist groups operating out of Chhattisgarh.

Currently, intensive searches are being conducted in the areas where the Maoists were staying The Additional Director General of Police said that Maoists have been moving from Chhattisgarh towards Andhra Pradesh and authorities have been monitoring these movements for the past month and a half. Some suspects attempted to take shelter in the city, while others sought refuge in forested areas, he said.

Earlier today at 6 am, the district police launched an operation in the northern part of Maredumilli. During the encounter, six Maoists were killed, including Central Committee member and 1st Battalion Commandant Hidma, his wife Rajee, and four other members. A few of the managed to escape from the scene, police said.

In Kakinada and Krishna districts, approximately 31 Maoists were arrested today. Among those arrested, nine are part of Central Committee member Devji’s security team, while the others belong to the 1st Battalion that used to accompany Hidma.

At the encounter site, several explosive materials were recovered, including electrical and non-electrical detonators, a bundle of electrical wire, male-female clip sets, various clips, tape, and a camera flashlight, etc.

The 43-year-old top Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, who was responsible for at least 26 deadly attacks against security forces and civilians, including the 2017 Sukma attack in which 26 CRPF personnel were killed, was eliminated during an encounter on Tuesday. He was also involved in the 2010 Dantewada attack, which resulted in the killing of 76 CRPF personnel.

Along with Hidma, his wife Raje and other members of the Maoist group, including Chelluri Narayana, and Tech Shankar were also killed, sources said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to top officials after the neutralisation of Hidma, who was eliminated even before the November 30 deadline set by the troops for his capture, they said. (ANI)