In an atmosphere surcharged with emotions and anger, the funerals of the two Telugu Desam party leaders gunned down by Maoists were performed in Visakhapatanam district of Andhra Pradesh on Monday.
A large number of supporters attended the funeral of TDP MLA from Araku Kadiri Sarveshwara Rao at Paderu. Two State Ministers - Ayyanna Patrudu and N Ananda Babu - represented the Government at the funeral. The cremation was delayed due to heavy rain.
Former MLA Siveri Soma who was also killed in the CPI Maoist attack on Sunday was buried according to the Christian customs at his native place Battivalasa near Araku. A large number of tribal people and TDP workers bid a tearful farewell to him. Earlier the District Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Sharma visited Araku and laid wreaths and paid respects to the slain leaders. He also visited the police stations at Araku and Dimbriguda which were burnt and vandalised by the angry supporters of the two leaders Sunday afternoon holding the police responsible for failing to protect their lives.
Meanwhile, State Director General of Police RP Thakur announced that the sub-inspector of police Amarnath was being put under suspension in connection with the Maoist attack as well vandalism at the police station. He also said that a special investigation team will investigate the Maoist attack and establish the cause of the failure of security in prevention of the attack.
Security was tightened in and around Araku and the additional DGP Harsh Gupta and DIG Ch Srikant were camping in Araku and Paderu to supervise the security arrangements and combing operations.
Normal life was hit in the agency or tribal areas of Visakhapatanam as the bus services of State Road Transport Corporation were suspended since last evening in view of the Maoist attack and protests in Araku. This has put the ordinary people and commuters to a great hardship. Even the special police forces dispatched to the area found it difficult to travel last night.