The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Police step up vigil in Maoist stronghold

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Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Police step up vigil in Maoist stronghold

D. Chandra Bhaskar Rao

BHADRACHALAM: The tribal heartland on the Andhra Pradesh-Chhattisgarh border has turned into a heavily militarised zone with both the states stepping up concentration of forces following spurt in the Maoist-sponsored violence. Joint operations are in full swing.

The Maoists have begun to extend their web of terror into villages in Andhra Pradesh as well and their presence is increasingly felt in Bhadrachalam also.

The Maoists killed 11 police personnel in Pamedu, a forest village perched close to the inter-State border. Close on the heels of these killings, they hacked to death three tribesmen in Narsingpet, a remote village in Andhra Pradesh.

They continued the killing spree elsewhere in Bijapur police district of Chhattisgarh. The incidents had a bearing on the lives of villagers in both the State

The police in Khammam district had taken up a special exercise to allay the fears among the people.

As a first step in that direction, the Police Department sought to revive the outpost of armed police at Mallampet in Chintoor mandal. The outpost was shifted to Edugurallapali village two years ago. It provided a safe passage into Khammam district for the Maoist cadres operating in South Bastar.

The Maoists demolished the old building of the outpost soon after its closure. A robust building with logistic support was being planning in its place.

Joint operations

Besides this, a permanent base for a battalion of Central forces was being planned at Bhadrachalam. Moves were afoot for further fortification of the police stations all along the inter-State border.

The police stations in Andhra Pradesh were well equipped and the preparedness levels for facing any eventuality was considered to be high.

Both the police stations in Bastar, particularly those at Maraigudem and Pamedu, appear to be vulnerable. The Chhattisgarh police were planning to strengthen such stations on a war-footing.

More forces from the Central pool were bound for both Dantewada in Chhattisgarh and Khammam in Andhra Pradesh. Both Dantewada and Bijapur, which were highly affected districts in Bastar region, merit additional reinforcements.

They were given special consideration under a special package. The joint operations were intensified in the Maoist stronghold villages wherein the writ of the extremist runs large.

The Maoists had been running a parallel administration in many of the tribal villages of Bastar.

The police officials from Dantewada and Bijapur were constantly in touch with their counterparts in Khammam.

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