Cops intensify search for Reds
With AP Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy scheduled to visit Visakhapatnam on Sunday, the leaders got an excuse to head for the port city to participate in the CM’S programme
Some officials, who are on the Maoists’ radar, have also reportedly gone on leave as Maoists have already warned officials and politicians in the AOB of dire consequences if they did not allow free movement of Naxalites.
The police meanwhile intensified searches in hotels, lodges and suspected hideouts to flush out Maoists.
Incidentally, the Maoists have given a call for Paderu bandh in Visakhapatnam district on Sunday. Paderu division additional deputy superintendent of police Mr Damodar said the police had heightened security for VIPS.
Central paramilitary forces are also on standby, ready to move into Odisha at short notice if required.
Meanwhile the kidnapping of the Odisha legislator has derailed the negotiation process to secure the release of the two Italian nationals who had been abducted 10 days back, on March 14, by a separate group of Maoists in the dense forests of Kandhamal. While Sabyasachi Panda, the Odisha State Organising secretary, had engineered the abduction of the Italian nationals, the S r i k a k u l a m- Koraput Divisional Committee abducted the legislator as a game of one-upmanship.
The SKDC, which is dominated by Telugu cadres from Andhra Pradesh, do not want Sabyasachi Panda reap dividends from his Italian hostages, sources close to the Maoist groups said.
Maoist interlocutors Mr B.D. Dutta and Mr Dandapani Mohanty said they have suspended the negotiation process as the rebels, despite declaring a ceasefire, had killed a police officer in Malkangiri and kidnapped the MLA, who represents Laxmipur in Odisha Assembly.
It may be recalled that Paderu revenue divisional officer Mr K.R.D. Prasad Rao was kidnapped and released by Maoists a few months ago.