65 TG Maoists Still Underground: DGP
The DGP was speaking to mediapersons after visiting the residence of slain police constable E. Pramod Kumar, who was stabbed to death by a theft suspect, Sheik Riyaz. Riyaz was later killed in a police encounter on Monday.
NIZAMABAD: Director General of Police (DGP) B. Shivadhar Reddy on Tuesday said that around 65 Maoists from Telangana were still underground, including nearly 40 who hold leadership positions. He appealed to them to surrender and assured that there would be no harassment from the police once they returned to the mainstream. Shivadhar Reddy said Maoists could approach the police through mediapersons, revenue officials or elected representatives to facilitate their surrender.
The DGP was speaking to mediapersons after visiting the residence of slain police constable E. Pramod Kumar, who was stabbed to death by a theft suspect, Sheik Riyaz. Riyaz was later killed in a police encounter on Monday.
He said that under the leadership of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, the state government was giving the highest priority to the welfare of police martyrs’ families. As part of this initiative, the government recently distributed 200-square-yard house sites at Gajularamaram to each of the families of police martyrs whose cases had been pending for years.
The DGP recalled the 2008 Ballimela reservoir boat attack on the Andhra-Odisha border, in which 33 police personnel were martyred by Maoists. The state government has now allotted house sites to the families of those martyrs as well, ensuring that their sacrifices are remembered with respect.
Nizamabad Rural MLA R. Bhupathi Reddy proposed that Syed Asif, a youth from Sarangapur who was seriously injured while attempting to capture Riyaz and is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Hyderabad, be considered for appointment as a home guard in the police department.