Maoist leader releases audio clip; accused police for false propaganda

Visakhapatnam: Coming down heavily on the police for targeting the policies of their party, Area Committee Member of Galikonda of the banned CPI (Maoist), Gemmeli Kamesh alias Hari, on Thursday released an audio file accusing the police of indulging in false propaganda against the red-rebels in the Visakha agency.

Hari in the audio clip stated that the police have been releasing posters with pictures of Maoists, projecting them as anti-development people and killing innocent tribals in the Vizag Agency and along Andhra Odisha Border (AOB). He claimed that the Maoists have been fighting for the rights of the tribals and protecting the resources in the tribal areas.

It was a known fact that several Maoist leaders such as Jambri, Sharat and Azad were martyred for the cause in the past, he added. The Maoists leader also accused the police of atrocities against the tribals and killing Maoists in fake encounters in the region.

The day-long bandh called by the Maoists on Thursday evoked a poor response in Vizag Agency and AOB. The police said that no untoward incident was reported from any part of the agency and AOB.

The bandh was called by the Maoist party, in protest against the recent encounter with five Maoists at GK Veedhi Mandal in Vizag Agency.

In a letter released on Tuesday, by the AOB region secretary of the party Ganesh, the Maoist termed the encounter as 'unprovoked' firing by the security forces and called for the bandh.

Over 90 per cent of shops and establishments remained opened and buses plied as usual in many areas on Thursday. Buses that ply in the interior areas abided with the night halt to avoid any untoward incidents.

Vizag Rural police Chief Babujee Attada said that people have lost faith in the Maoists for obstructing the development activities and killing the tribals. Police have increased the combing and area domination exercise and intensified vehicle checks at sensitive areas, he added.