The Hindu : National : Maoist leader killed by A.P. police

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Saturday, Jun 23, 2007
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Maoist leader killed by A.P. police

K. Srinivas Reddy

HYDERABAD: Two days after the Maoist threatened to step up attacks against politicians in Andhra Pradesh, the State police inflicted a stunning blow to the Maoist movement by killing its Central Committee member, Sande Rajamouli, in an alleged encounter in Anantapur district, bordering Karnataka, on Friday night.

Rajamouli, a senior cadre who was also a member of the Central Military Commission, was stated to be the brain behind the abortive ‘Alipiri attack’ on N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Incidentally, he is the second CMC member to be killed in Andhra Pradesh in recent times. Earlier, Wadkapur Chandramouli, a CMC member, was killed in Visakhapatnam Agency area this year.

May invite flak

Rajamouli’s killing in front of the railway station in Dharmavaram town of Anantapur is bound to generate criticism within the Maoist ranks in view of his top stature. The point of discussion among the Maoists could be on how a member of the Central Committee and CMC moved without proper protection into Andhra Pradesh where the Maoists have officially announced their retreat in the wake of severe and continuous police onslaught. Incidentally, both the slain CMC members, Rajamouli and Chandramouli, hail from Karimnagar district.

Maoist party secretary Muppalla Laxman Rao alias Ganapathi is also from the same district. Rajamouli’s wife Rajitha, who was the District Committee Secretary of Karimnagar, was also killed in an encounter.

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