In a fierce encounter between Bhadradri Kothagudem police and naxalites of the CPI ML New Democracy group, top naxalite leader Linganna was killed and certain other naxalites injured on Wednesday. The encounter between the police and naxalites took place within the Rollagadda Devallagudem forests.
On coming to know of the incident, villagers of Devallagudem tried to prevent the police from taking away Linganna's body, calling the encounter a fake one and also pelted stones on the police party. Police then opened fire to disperse the villagers.
Tension was palpable within the Gundala forest belt till the evening. Additional forces were rushed in to prevent any untoward incident.
According to police, the new democracy naxalites were holding a meeting to mark the Maoist Martyr Memorial Week at Devallagudem village within the Rollagadda belt of Gundala forests in Bhadradri Koththagudem district. On a tip off, police forces surrounded the area. When the naxalites came to know of it, they opened fire to make good their escape from the scene. Police returned the fire and in the resulting encounter Linganna was killed.
When police tried to shift the dead body of the slain naxalite, villagers in the forest belt resisted terming the encounter a fake one. The protest by the villagers lasted for 2-3 hours. Police summoned additional forces in an attempt to take away the body from the encounter spot. Villagers then started pelted stones following which police opened fire in the air and dispersed the villagers.
Meanwhile, spokesperson of CPI ML New Democracy, West Godavari district, U Venkateshwar Rao, released a statement terming the encounter as a cold blooded murder by the police. The naxalite leader said the News Democracy Dalam was holding a meeting when police surrounded the area and opened fire unilaterally. He demanded that the police release the remaining naxalites it had taken into custody unharmed.