Hyderabad, May 17: As many as 94 people, the majority of them elected public representatives, are said to be in the hit list of the Maoists in the northcoastal districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts bordering Orissa. The rebels, who shot dead Visakhapatnam zilla parishad vice-chairman U. Somalingam last week, kidnapped a block committee member G.
Chittanna Dora aka Chittibabu at Korukonda village on Saturday. After holding a “praja court” (people’s court) they warned the people’s representatives of dire consequences if they supported bauxite mining by the Dubaibased Anrak Aluminium Limited.
The Maoists have set a deadline of May 20 for all elected officials in the districts to resign from their posts and respective parties in protest against bauxite mining. Initially, the Maoists had claimed that they had shot dead Chittibabu, but on Sunday, they sent a letter to the local media in Visakhapatnam claiming he was alive and had agreed to resign from his post.
In response to their stepped up activity in the past one week, the police forces, including the Greyhounds and the CRPF, have launched a major offensive against the outlawed extremists. According to Visakhpatnam SP Vineet Brij Lal, as many as 94 people are on the Maoists’ radar and 12 of them are on the top of the list.
“More than 80 per cent of those in the hit list are elected representatives such as panchayat and ward members, sarpanches, MPTC and ZPTC members,” Lal said.
The SP said security had been beefed up for the people’s representatives living in interior villages. He asked them to move to safer places. But as of now, nearly 30 elected representatives have quit their posts and moved to urban areas.
The SP said additional central forces would be sent to Visakhapatnam agency areas if necessary and a request to provide helicopters for air support was pending at the highest authorities.
Maoist emissary and revolutionary poet P. Vara Vara Rao said the police and the media were blowing the situation out of proportion.
“ It is a simple issue. Stop bauxite mining and the Maoist activity would not be there. The tribals have the constitutional right over the mineral wealth in the forests and naturally there would be stiff resistance from the tribals if the government takes away their rights. It is not the Maoists alone, even intellectuals and political parties are opposed to bauxite mining in the area,” he said.
In neighbouring Orissa, Maoists gunned down a police constable in Malkangiri district on Sunday.
Police said constable Ramachandra Rao posted at the Padia outpost under Kalimela police station was shot at point- blank range at a weekly market.
The incident sparked panic in the area. Security in the area has been beefed up and a combing operation is on to nab the assailants. Sources said past enmity with the constable could be the reason behind the killing.
This is the first instance of a policeman being singled out by the Maoists who are generally known to ambush policemen in groups.
MAOISTS KILL 6 IN MP
The Maoists in Chattisgarh killed six persons, including a sarpanch, near Manpur in Rajnandgaon district accusing them of acting as police informers.
In a separate incident two Maoists were killed in an encounter with the police in Dantewada on Sunday.
The killing has terrified villagers who found the bodies dumped at a roadside near Unchapur, adjoining Gadchiroli district.
According to the Rajnandgaon police all six were abducted by the Maoists about a week ago and their bodies were found on Sunday by villagers who informed the police.
Cautious security forces took many hours to reach the spot to recover the bodies fearing booby trap laid by the rebels. The rebels had slit the throats of the six men.
With inputs from Ashutosh Mishra in Bhubaneswar & Sahar Khan in Raipur
KILLING SPREE IN WB
MAOISTS in West Bengal intensified their attacks in the Junglemahal area by killing one more CPM activist at Borobhanga village in West Midnapore late on Saturday. Six CPM supporters have been gunned down in the last three days by the Maoists.
The rebels began their killing spree during a bandh to demand that an arrested Maoist, Soma Mandi, be produced in court. In a press statement, a Maoist leader claimed responsibility and warned of similar attacks if she was not produced in court.
Police said the victim Paltu Bag, 35, was killed by a group of Maoists in police uniform. His body was found on a state highway with Maoist posters strewn around threatining more such killings.
—Agencies