CPI(Maoist) has abducted three leaders of ruling Telugu Desam Party in the tribal dominated forest area of Visakhapatanam, the police said.
Those held captive include GK Veedhi Mandal president of TDP Mamidi Balaiah, party’s distric executive committee member Makkali Mahesh and another leader Vadala Balaiah. Visakhapatanam district Superintendent of Police K Praveen said that the Maoists had summoned the three TDP leaders to the forest area on Monday with the assurance that no harm will come to them. “But after they reached the spot, Maoists abducted them and they are being held captive”, Praveen said. The news of their abduction reached the police on Tuesday.
The police was put on alert in the region bordering Visakhapatanam and East Godavari districts and officials said that they were waiting for the demands of the Maoists for the release of the captives.
Maoists who were earlier active in the tribal area maintained a low key for the past ten years but of late they were stepping up their activities.