Tribals don’t respect Maoists: Andhra Pradesh DGP

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh director-general of police J.V. Ramudu here on Monday called the killing of three armed Maoists in Visakha agency as an indication of the growing revolt against rebels among the people in tribal agencies.

“Agency people no longer respect Maoists, they only fear the weapons they use. This incident proves that people will not spare them if their lives are disturbed,” he said.  

Mr Ramudu said the incident was an indication of resistance by the tribals. “When the rebels killed Sanjeeva Rao, the villagers lynched the Maoists,” he said. The villagers even damaged their weapons.
Mr Ramudu denied that  Sanjeeva Rao was  a police informer. “There are no police informers. Every citizen is a voluntary police informer,”  he added.

The DGP ruled out the angle of Praja court being a reason for the killing.

He also refuted allegations of it being a police encounter saying the cops reached the spot only on Monday morning.  

Andhra Pradesh DGP J.V. Ramudu told newsmen that Sanjeeva Rao, who was branded a  was police informer and killed by  the Maoists, had joined the mainstream and had not been named in any violent incident since 2001.

Police recovered the bodies of Maoist Sharath and victim Sanjeeva Rao.

The body of Ganapathi was taken by his family members and Nageswara Rao’s body was washed away in a stream.

Reports said two weapons, including an AK-47, were found at the spot.

Tension gripped the surrounding areas after the incident as the locals suspected that the rebels might return to exact revenge.