Bhadradri Kothagudem: Six Maoists, including two women, were killed in an exchange of fire with the police in the forests near Mothe of Karakagudem mandal in the district early on Thursday. Two police personnel were injured in the incident.
The deceased were identified as Manuguru divisional committee member Kunja Veeraiah, alias Lachanna, his wife Punam Lakke alias Tulasi, Kavvasi Ramu, Shukram, Sodi Boman and platoon member Sodi Kasi.
After the heavy crossfire ceased, the police found the bodies of the Maoists and recovered two AK-47 rifles, a self-loading rifle (SLR), a .303 rifle, a pistol, live ammunition and kit bags.
Police teams were combing the area and nearby Niladripeta on suspicions that senior Maoist leader Masaiah had escaped from the clutches of police.
Superintendent of police B. Rohith Raju said that on receiving information about the movement of some Maoists, Greyhound teams launched a combing operation in the forest area at Raghunadhapalem, about five kilometres from the Karakagudem police station. Maoists opened fire at the Greyhounds, who retaliated in their self-defence.
The encounter lasted about an hour. The sounds of the gun battle created panic among those living in the nearby Niladripeta, Gundala and Karakagudem.
Police said that Veeraiah was a native of Raigudem in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. An AK-47 rifle and a walkie-talkie set were found near his body. He faced 50 cases and carried a `10 lakh reward on his head.
His wife and area committee member Lakke belonged to Pombad village in Bilaspur district, Chhattisgarh. Kavvasi Ramu was from Alluri Seetarama Raju district in Andhra Pradesh; Shukram from Cherla in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district, while Sodi Boman and Sodi Kasi were from Chhattisgarh.
The dalam, headed by Lacchanna, had migrated to Manuguru from Chhattisgarh after security forces took up ‘Operation Kagar’ in the state.
Two police personnel were reportedly injured in the exchange, but police authorities are silent on this. They have reportedly been shifted to a private hospital at Bhadrachalam.
Bodies of the six were shifted to an area hospital at Kothagudem for autopsy.
