The Hindu : Front Page : Top Maoist leader, 3 others killed

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Friday, Jul 29, 2005

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Top Maoist leader, 3 others killed

Special Correspondent

Involvement in Ongole bomb blast, Vempenta killings, bus-burning suspected

ONGOLE: The police shot dead a top leader of the CPI (Maoist), Dingu Sreenu, at Devarapalem village, near here, in the wee hours of Thursday. He was secretary of Nallamala West Area Committee and commander of Chandravanka dalam.

Sreenu alias Vijai alias Sivanna alias Speed was an expert in explosives. He was allegedly involved in the bomb blast triggered at Ongole town on April 27 targeting the Superintendent of Police, Mahesh Chandra Laddha. Though Mr. Laddha escaped unhurt, three innocent persons passing by that way were killed. The police believe that Sreenu had participated in the recce of the bomb blast.

Addressing a press conference, the Inspector-General of Police, Guntur range, Rajwant Singh, said that Sreenu was also involved in the Vempenta killings (February 28) and bus burning at Byrutla (January 16) in Kurnool district.

He said that Sreenu was taking shelter in the house of one Venkateswarlu of Devarapalem in Chimakurthi mandal near here. A special police party raided the house and asked him to surrender. But he opened fire. The police retaliated and shot him dead. They recovered one tapancha and 212 bore rounds, two pairs of clothes and Rs. 13,800 in cash from the place.

Another encounter

Close on the heels of the killing of Sreenu, three other suspected Maoists were killed in an exchange of fire at Chilakacharla village in Dornala mandal later in the morning.

It was stated that a special police party encountered some persons at Chilakacharla and asked them to surrender. But they, instead of surrendering, opened fire at the police, who retaliated killing two persons on the spot. The third person tried to escape. The police shot him dead after chasing him for some distance. One gun, two grenades and three kit bags were recovered from the place.

Addressing a press conference, the Inspector-General of Police, Guntur range, Rajwant Singh, said that the victims had not been identified.

Mr. Rajwant Singh said that the police had launched a pro-active drive to maintain law and order and prevent Maoists or anybody else from indulging in killing of innocent persons, kidnapping people for ransom, extorting money and creating terror.

Condemned

Meanwhile, the CPI(Maoist) condemned the killing of the four, and alleged that the so-called encounters were fake. The Nallamala Area Committee secretary, Sudarsan, told The Hindu on the phone that the police nabbed the four persons at Bapatla after 6 p.m. on Wednesday and killed them in two encounters within 12 hours. He said Sreenu had spoken to him on the phone at 5-30 p.m. and expressed fear that there was some disturbance.

He identified the three persons killed at Dornala mandal as Azad alias Jyothi, dal commander, Srikanth and Dutt, dalam members.

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