Congress, TD leaders abducted by Maoists

Visakhapatnam, Feb. 7: Armed Maoists kidnapped two leaders belonging to the Congress and Telugu Desam in two different parts of Koyyuru mandal in the Agency on Saturday night.

So far there has been no demand from them. Police have launched combing in sensitive areas of the mandal. Congress mandal president Kone Somaiah was at home in Solabu village when 13 Maoists including two women, knocked at his door and asked him to accompany them.

They told the protesting family members that he would be sent back after a discussion. Since then, there has been no trace of him.

Earlier, the same group picked up Telugu Desam leader Kakara Ballayya from his Makavaram village at about 9 pm.

District superintendent of police Vineet Brijlal said that only three members carrying arms were dalam members and the rest were militia members seen in civilian clothes and carrying lathis. Balayya was himself a Maoist and was arrested by Koyyuru police last month. Sources said that Maoists suspected the hand of Balayya in the arrest of his relative and Mahila Sangham leader Kankipati Laxmi. So far, police has not visited these village, 24 hours after the incident. The weekly shandy was held in Rajendrapalem, close to these two villages on Sunday and the incident did not scare tribals who were seen in large numbers here.

Armed police were present in large numbers and they checked all vehicles. “The Maoists did not use any force and have so far, not made any demand. But we have sent armed personnel to the area to trace the two leaders,” the SP said.

The last kidnap took place in the district in 1992 when the then Chintapalle MLA and present minister for tribal welfare Mr P. Balaraju was abducted by armed Maoists while he was inspecting a dam in Buradaralla.