Hyderabad: Many places in the agency areas infested by Maoist influence in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana States reeled under tension and uncertainty today in the wake of the bandh call given by the Maoists to protest against the alleged fake encounter in Malkangiri of Odisha in the AOB region in which over 32 Maoists were gunned down on October 24.
Though by and large the bandh did not see any major untoward incident in both the Telugu States, the news about the shooting down of a former sarpanch by the Maoists in Bhavanipatnam mandal in Odisha across AOB triggered panic among the people in the agency areas forcing them to stay put in their houses with fingers crossed. Former sarpanch Jayanth was stated to have been shot dead point blank by the Maoists accusing him of being a police informant.
Many villages and towns in the agency areas of both the Telugu States observed bandh even as armed police personnel stepped up search operations in hotels and lodges to flush out Maoist sympathisers. At many places in these areas buses did not ply as the authorities withdrew the services as a precautionary measure. Armed police personnel comprising of CRPF and paramilitary forces were deployed at all important places leading to the agency areas and those connecting Chattisgarh and Odisha. Checkposts and barricades were erected at many points where vehicles, especially those proceeding towards AOB were searched and even passengers in the vehicles were frisked.
Bus services both government and private were cancelled in Mundigattu, G.Madugula, Pedabailu, GKVeedhi and so on in Visakahpatnam district. Very few buses plied between Paderu and Vizag and also in Araku and Narsipatnam, which were known to be sympathetic to Maoists. Even in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts, police stepped up vigilance as some villages and towns observed bandh out of fear. In East Godavari district at Kakinada and Rajahmundry, the bus services were affected. In some of these areas, the people observed bandh following posters appearing calling upon the people to observe bandh.
In the Telangana State, villages having Maoist influence like Jaishankar and Warangal districts the police kept special focus to thwart any untoward incident. Though most of the top Maoist leaders hail from Warangal district, especially in the surrounding agency areas of Parakala, there was no much impact of the bandh. Despite the uneasy calm and tension prevailing in the Maoist infested areas in both the Telugu States, the Maoist Bandh passed off without any major incidents except for crippling the bus services in the remote villages. (NSS)
No impact of Maoist bandh in TS & AP States due to high-security
