Date:23/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/23/stories/2007102362590500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Another major blow to Maoists

Correspondent

Huge cache of arms unearthed in Nallamala reserve forest

Back to mainstream: IGP, Hyderabad region, Anuradha, DIG, Hyderabad range, R. Eshwar Reddy, and Superintendent of Police Charu Sinha with the surrendered Maoists -- Anjaneyulu and Vishnu -- at Mahabubnagar on Monday.

MAHABUBNAGAR: The CPI (Maoist), which has suffered a setback in the district following a series of surrenders of important leaders and cadre besides seizure of arms, received another blow with police unearthing a huge cache of arms, ammunition, explosives, logistic aids and literature, besides Rs.13 lakh in cash.

Disclosing this at a press conference here on Monday, the Hyderabad region Inspector General of Police A.R. Anuradha said this was the result of discovery of dump at four separate places in Nallamala reserve forest falling under Amrabad, Lingal and Kollapur police stations. DIG of Hyderabad range, R. Eshwar Reddy and Mahabubnagar SP Charu Sinha were present.

The IGP said that 24 weapons, including one AK-47 rifle, one SLR, ten .303 rifles, one 9 mm pistol, one 8 mm rifle, four SBBL guns, four tapanchas and two DBBL guns were recovered.

Besides, 789 rounds of ammunition, 280 gelatin sticks, 35 non-electric detonators, three scanners and two camera flashes were also found.

She complimented the Mahabubnagar police for putting in enormous efforts to uproot extremism and restoring peace and rule of law.

IGP Anuradha recalled that two new Maoist recruits, Anjaneyulu and Vishnu, who did not know the basics of naxalite ideology and who were lured into the party on the pretext of hunting, had surrendered to the SP Charu Sinha.

The IGP said that “with these recoveries, we have been able to significantly cripple the Maoists in the district as also in the State committee area”.

The total number of weapons recovered in the district so far since the beginning of 2007, has gone up to 62, besides 25 landmines and 15 other dumps.

She gave credit for unearthing arms dumps to the team of police officers that included Achampet Circle Inspector M.A.Majid, Khilaghanapur Sub-Inspector B. Kishan, Amrabad Sub-Inspector Venkat, Siddapur Sub-Inspector Srinivas, Uppanunthala Sub-Inspector Balu Chowhan, Egle Penta Sub-Inspector Venkatagiri, Achampet Sub-Inspector Giribabu, Kollapur Sub-Inspector Vekateshwarlu, the district police and CRPF, besides SP Charu Sinha and OSD Rajesh Kumar.