Telangana encounter: Locals lined roads, kept cops informed

Hyderabad: Samaiah, 40, was working in his field on Saturday morning when two men suddenly appeared on the road riding a motorcycle at high speed. Within moments, the bike disappeared round a bend.

Next, a police SUV came into sight. The vehicle stopped, and cops asked Samaiah about the bike. He pointed down the road and the policemen took off.

“After a few minutes, I heard a sound. Then continuous sounds, of gunshots, more than 15 of them. I lay down on the ground. After many minutes, I slowly stood up, I saw bleeding cops being rushed to hospital. The two men on the bike had fallen on the field,” he said. Locals in Atmakur, Ramannapet, and Jankipuram came out on the road to provide information. “They had been informed about the two suspects. When the chase started, they came out to the roads and gave information,” said a police official.

Though he has been transferred, the plan of Nalgonda SP Prabhakar Rao helped the police conclude the operation.

“The SP coordinated the district forces as the killers moved from Suryapet to Bhongir division. He and the DSPs of the two divisions planned the operation,” said an officer.  The SP was transferred after Thursday’s shooting and waiting for his replacement.