Khammam: The Telangana government has decided to act tough against Naxals. As part of it, police parties have stepped up vigil in forests in Warangal and Khammam districts where Naxals of the Chandranna group of CPI (ML) New Democracy are reported to be carrying on their activities.
The combing operations have been launched nearly after a gap of one year. All police stations abutting the Gundala forest have been put on high alert. In the last one year, the special police battalions have not been completely withdrawn from the region but were mostly confined to police stations.
Following a fall in the number of Maoists and a drop in their activities in the last one year, police in Yellandu region of Khammam district and Narasampet division of Warangal district have neglected anti-Naxal operations. Maoists, it was learnt, had slowly retreated from Yellandu forest, which was once their stronghold.
Police allowed Naxals to move in the forests as they would act as a check on the Maoists.
But with the Maoist activities coming down, they have decided to smoke out the Naxals too, from the forests.
With the vigil being stepped up, attempts by Naxals of the New Democracy to strengthen the party had failed.
A police officer said, “The New Democracy dalams, in the past, used to act as a check on Maoists. Now, the government is not ready to entertain the dalams as the members are resorting to extortion for buying weapons”.
Chandranna group has three dalams in the area comprising 30 members and the groups are headed by Chandranna, Sagar and Ashok. These dalams are in possession of AK-47s and SLRs.
Combing operations were held at Ramagundala, Miryalapenta, Kothathanda, Patyathanda, Narasapuram and Laxmipuram villages in Khammam-Warangal forest area.
Police parties also recovered an auto, some utensils and other material from a place where the Chandranna group members supposedly held a meeting in the forest.
Three tribals Gamli, Bapusingh and Danru were also taken into custody from the place. These trio supplied material to the dalam for holding the meeting there. Members of Chandranna group wear oliv green dresses.
