Babus, cops removed after violent clashes in Agency
Intelligence fears Maoists’ role: support to Adivasis from other states
In a major administrative shake-up in the wake of the violent incidents and clashes between Adivasis and Lambadas in Agency areas over the reservations issue, the TS government on Saturday removed collectors and superintendents of police serving in the affected districts and has not assigned them new postings.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao held an emergency meeting with the DGP and senior officials at Pragathi Bhavan to review the law and order situation.
The police in all the districts bordering Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra have been put on alert following the Adivasi unrest in the state.
The intelligence agencies have asked the police in the Bhadradri Kothagudem, Kumaram Bheem, Mancherial, Jayashankar, Khammam, Nirmal, Karimnagar, Adilabad and Nagarkurnool districts to be on alert.
The warning comes in wake clashes between Adivasi and Lambada groups in pockets of Adilabad and Kumaram Bheem districts.
Following the advisory the police in these districts have intensified patrolling on highways and pockets dominated by the Adivasi and Lambada groups.
In some districts prohibitory orders banning assembly of four or more persons have been clamped as a precautionary measure.
The intelligence agencies suspect that left wing extremist groups or Maoists might use the opportunity to spread unrest. The Maoists movements are mostly reported in the forest bordering Telangana state and Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh.
The police believes that Maoist sympathisers could mingle with the crowd and resort to violence, spearhead rallies or instigate people.
Though the police had officially denied that Adivasi community members from Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh are extending support to the cause of their counterparts in Telangana state, the intelligence agencies are gathering information on this aspect too.
On Saturday, a highlevel meeting of police officials discussed the violence in Adilabad. The police officials also reviewed the protests reported in other parts of the state carried out by activists condemning the Utnoor violence.