The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Naxals’ bodies handed over to Chhattisgarh police

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Naxals’ bodies handed over to Chhattisgarh police

D. Chandra Bhaskar Rao

BHADRACHALAM: Special parties of Andhra Pradesh police, which began retrieving the bodies of the 17 naxalites killed in encounter in the timber reserves of Bastar late on Tuesday night, completed the operation by 12 noon on Wednesday and handed them over to the Chhattisgarh police.

Even the identification process was entrusted to them. IG of Bastar, R. K. Vij, who flew down to Konta examined the bodies before reviewing the situation on the inter-State border with the officials. Combing operations were stepped up all along the border.

The retrieval of the bodies was commenced only after the arrival of reinforcements in view of a possible backlash from the Maoists. Special parties cordoned off almost every vulnerable point in the 35-kilometre jungle route from Charla to Darelli. They split into four parties and escorted the tractors carrying the bodies. A posse of policemen were also engaged in detecting landmines and clearing the forest track thus making it a safe passage for the special parties.

Plastic sheets

The bodies were all wrapped up in plastic sheets. Initially, the post-mortem was planned at Bhadrachalam. But the vehicle carrying the bodies was diverted to Chintoor road as per last-minute directions from the higher-ups.

The Salva Judum cadres, fighting a bitter war with the Maoists, celebrated the incident as a major victory for their force at Konta. They took out a rally in the village as the bodies were handed over to the police in the evening.

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