MAOISTS KILLED IN ENCOUNTER IDENTIFIED

The two Maoists killed in an exchange of fire with the police in Kadamba forests in Kagaznagar Rural mandal in Kumarambheem Asifabad district late on Saturday were identified as Chinnalu of Chokkalu of Bheejapur district of Chhattisgarh and Jugunaka Badirao of Addala Thimmapur in Neredigonda mandal in Adilabad district.

Police seized a 9 mm automatic weapon, a 12 bore weapon and two kit bags from the scene.

Police sealed the borders with Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh along the river Pranahitha and suspended the operation of country boats to prevent the escape of Maoists who reportedly managed to flee from the exchange of fire. Police have intensified combing operations in the forests along the Pranahitha.

V. Satyanarayana, Ramagundam police commissioner and incharge SP of Kumarambhem Asifabad district, said the Maoists were focusing on fresh recruitments to strengthen their base in the district. Police had intensified combing operations to catch Maoist state committee member Mylarapu Adellu alias Bhaskar and his team members.

Satyanarayana said a police team combing the area had noticed the Maoist team in the Kadamba forest and asked them to surrender. The Maoists opened fire against the police indiscriminately.

He said the police opened fire in retaliation and the excharge of fire went on for one hour. After the firing ceased, the police found the two bodies in the area. Local police, special police parties and Greyhounds police participated in the combing operations. Mancherial DCP Udaykumar Reddy was present.

Post-mortem examination on the bodies of Chinnalu and Badirao was performed at the government hospital in Sirpur (T). Badirao's body was handed over to his mother Chinnu Bai while Chikkalu’s body was preserved in the hospital.