The Hindu : Front Page : Maoist top gun killed in encounter

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 19, 2006

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Maoist top gun killed in encounter

Staff Reporter

GUNTUR: Communist Party of India (Maoist) Palnadu `platoon commander' Suresh was killed in an encounter with a special police party team at Ramapuram crossroads near Dachepalli in Guntur district on Sunday night.

The police stopped a motorcycle at the junction at around 9.30 p.m. on which Suresh, 28, was riding pillion. While the rider sped away, Suresh jumped from the two-wheeler and began firing at the police, forcing them to retaliate.

The police gave a chase to the motorcyclist but in vain.

A red alert has been sounded in police stations in the Palnadu region and all MLAs and officials on the hit list of the Maoists have been asked to either move to safer places or take care of their safety.

Night services of RTC to all naxalite-affected areas have been cancelled. Vehicle checks have been intensified.

With the death of Suresh, the Maoists' activities have suffered a major setback in the Palnadu and Nallamala regions, where he was the most active leader. He had masterminded the rocket attack on the Durgi police station in May 2005.

Another blow to naxals

Staff Reporter in Khammam adds: Earlier in the day, two Maoists were killed in an encounter with the police near Marrimalla village, close to the banks of the Godavari, 25 km from Perur.

A senior member of the party, not below the rank of district committee member, is suspected to be among those killed. The police recovered an AK 47 along with some ammunition from the scene.

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