Adivasi-Lambada clash: Border police goes on alert

Hyderabad: The police in all the districts bordering Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra have been put on alert following the Adivasi unrest in the state. The intelligence agencies have asked the police in the Bhadradri Kothagudem, Kumaram Bheem, Mancherial, Jayashankar, Khammam, Nirmal, Karimnagar, Adilabad and Nagarkurnool districts to be on alert. The warning comes in wake clashes between Adivasi and Lambada groups in pockets of Adilabad and Kumaram Bheem districts.

Following the advisory the police in these districts have intensified patrolling on highways and pockets dominated by the Adivasi and Lambada groups.In some districts prohibitory orders banning assembly of four or more persons have been clamped as a precautionary measure.

The intelligence agencies suspect that left wing extremist groups or Maoists might use the opportunity to spread unrest. The Maoists movements are mostly reported in the forest bordering Telangana state and Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh. The police believes that Maoist sympathisers could mingle with the crowd and resort to violence, spearhead rallies or instigate people.

Though the police had officially denied that Adivasi community members from Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh are extending support to the cause of their counterparts in Telangana state, the intelligence agencies are gathering information on this aspect too. On Saturday, a high-level meeting of police officials discussed the violence in Adilabad. The police officials also reviewed the protests reported in other parts of the state carried out by activists condemning the Utnoor violence.

Only one officer gets posting

In the wake of the violent incidents and clashes between Adivasis and Lambadas in Agency areas, the Telangana state government on Saturday removed collectors and superintendents of police serving in the affected districts. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, reviewing the situation, took a serious view of the violent incidents that had occurred in the last few days. The GOs effecting the transfers were released soon after. Adilabad collector Dr Jyoti Buddha Prakash has been replaced by Vikarabad collector D. Divya.

Ranga Reddy collector M. Raghunandan Rao has been given full additional charge as Vikarabad collector. Asifabad collector M. Champalal has been replaced by Warangal rural collector Patil Prashant Jeeven. Warangal Urban collector Amrapali Kata has been given full additional charge as Waran-gal Rural collector. Nirmal collector K. Ilambarithi has been replaced by Hyderabad joint collector M. Prashanti.

Karimnagar range DIG Ravi Varma has been replaced by P. Pramod Kumar, joint CP, special branch, Hyderabad. Adilabad SP M. Srinivasulu has been replaced by Nirmal SP Vishnu S. Warrier. He also has full additional charge as Nirmal SP.
Asifabad SP Sunpreet Singh has been replaced by Nagarkurnool SP Kalmeshwar Shinge-nawar. Sunpreet Singh has been posted as SP of Nagarkurnool.

Barring Mr Singh, none of the transferred collectors and SPs were given other postings. The CM held discussions with ministers and party leaders to find a solution to the ongoing tussle between Adivasis and Lambadas.  He is expected to call a meeting with prominent leaders of both communities in a day or two., to resolve the issue amicably. The CM will discuss what measures can be taken to protect the reservation benefits to both communities.