An encounter between Andhra Pradesh Police and the Maoists shattered the three-year long peace in Nallamalla forest area of the State.
Three Maoists died in the encounter on the borders of Guntur and Prakasam districts on Thursday morning. They were identified as Jana Babu Rao, Vimalakka and Saradhi. Police said three others Maoists who were injured managed to escape. Police believe one of them was Vikram.
The incident occurred at Pullalacheruvu in Prakasam district. Police said exchange of fire took place when the Maoist and the police came face-to-face during routine patrolling in the area.
Recovery of an AK-47 rifle along with other weapons suggests that a top leader of outlawed CPIMl Maoist was present at the scene of encounter. One SlR, carbined and a 303 rifle and explosives were found at the scene.
This is the first major encounter in Andhra Pradesh since the bifurcation of the State. Situation in Nallamalla forest, once the hotbed of Maoist activities, had become peaceful ever since the top leader Ramakrishna was forced to flee from there in 2005. Subsequently many other Maoists including a central committee member Shakhamuri Appa Rao was also killed in the same area.
Though, Maoists have been active in districts bordering Odisha and Chhattisgarh occasionally attacking their targets, this is the first time in several years that their presence is felt in the heartland of Andhra has come to notice.
Police say after several Maoists leaders of the region had surrendered were killed, Babu Rao had formed a new team and was active in Guntur, Pakasam, Kurnool and Mahbubnagar district, covering the Nallamalla region. Vikram, a close associate of Babu Rao was an accused in two cases of attacks on police station and looting arms.