Cops deny arrests of Maoist top guns Aruna and Birsu

Visakhapatnam: The Vizag Rural police on Tuesday denied the arrest of East and Malkangiri division secretary of the Maoist Party, Aruna, or any Maoist leaders and their sympathizers. The officials were responding to the demand of civil rights activists who asked them to produce the arrested Maoists in the court.

On Tuesday morning, a retired teacher Lakshamana Rao said that security forces gunned down five Maoists in the past two days. He added that the police took his daughter Aruna, a Maoist top gun, and another leader Birsu, into their custody. Rao said that the police might kill both of them. It may be recalled that Rao’s son Azad was killed in an alleged encounter, years ago.

Additionally, five Maoists were killed in two separate encounters that took place near Madigamallu and Kondajarta areas under Gummirevula Panchayat in GK Veedhi Mandal of Visakha Agency on Sunday and Monday. Bodies of two male Maoists, who were gunned down on Monday’s firefight near Kondajarta reached Narsipatnam area hospital in Vizag district on Tuesday evening.

The police identified the deceased Maoists as Division Committee Member Ramesh of Maoists Military Company. He was carrying an AK 47. The other body was also from the same platoon and identified as Bhuma. All five deceased Maoists in the incidents belonged to Chhattisgarh, said Vizag Rural Police Chief Babujee Attada. The Maoists killed in the Sunday encounter were identified as Ajay, Bimala and Budhiri, he added.

“No one was arrested or captured. A good number of Maoists escaped from the area during the encounter on Sunday. Our teams are continuing combing operations. We have no personal grudge against any Maoist, and we are requesting them to shun violence and surrender before the police to lead a peaceful life,” Babujee added.