The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Public representatives flee Palnadu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 30, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Public representatives flee Palnadu

Ramesh Susarla

Naxalites issue fresh threat to politicians, call State bandh on June 1

GUNTUR: The conflict between the police and the Maoists, which has seen an upward trend in the violence in Guntur district, has terrorised people's representatives and all the four MLAs from the Palnadu region are away from their headquarters.

Killing of six people, that too grassroots level Congress leaders, who were old and infirm, has created a scare among others. Majority of the panchayat and mandal-level politicians prefer to move out of the region. The killing of a constable on bandobust duty in front of a large gathering (some 50,000 people) in Ipuru mandal during a village festival has sent a shock wave among the people. The incident has become the talk of the region and the police inability to fight back was being viewed as a security concern for the people.

Three other constables were also present at the site but none of them retaliated, but on the contrary ran for their life with weapons.

The Maoist `Palnadu Liberated Zone' commander, Suresh, in a statement had said that the killing of the constable was in protest against the Centre providing arms to Nepal Government to fight Maoists there. Such reasoning was being questioned by the people as to what impact does it have on the people here.

Fake encounter alleged

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Maoist) district committee secretary, Mohan, in a statement on Sunday called for a Statewide bandh on June 1 protesting against the alleged fake encounter at Godu near Gundlapalli in the district.

The statement said that politicians and the police would be their prime targets. The Maoists have been asking the Congress leaders to quit their positions or face their wrath. The police were determined to continue their combing operations.

The Superintendent of Police, Jitender, questioned the people's organisations and the human rights organisations for being `silent' over the killing of innocent people in Guntur district.

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