An alert has been sounded in the Maoist-affected zone of the Bhadrachalam-Kothagudem district of Telangana after the secretary of the outlawed CPI-M of Alluri Sitaramaraju (ASR) and Bhadrachalam Kothagudem released a threatening letter against several local leaders including of CPI and Congress.
As per the information received, in a letter, the secretary of the banned CPI-Maoist of ASR and Kothgudem, Azad, has alleged that the local Congress leader Bogla Shrinivas Reddy, TDP’s leader Kodali Shrinivas, CPI leader Ravulapalli Ramprasad have encroached around 4.15 acres of land.
Maoist commander Azad in the letter, also alleged that Ravulapalli Ramprasad encroached on six acres of private land owned by a civilian and a Christian group, respectively. Azad has claimed that Ramprasad has managed to creep these lands with the help of government pattas provided by the officials on the instructions of local congress MLA Podem Verraiha.
After alleging the leaders for land encroachment, the Maoist commander called upon the local farmers to revolt against the named leaders; Azad, in the letter, also called upon the local tribals to take up the arm and reclaim their encroached lands; the Maoist commander also assured the locals that the banned outfit would help the cause of the locals and provide all the possible support.
Now after the open threat to the leaders and open call for violence against them, the security agencies have sounded an alert in the region. In contrast, the named leaders have been advised to cut down their public appearances for a while.
Briefing the media on the development IPS, Dr G Vineeth said an investigation has already been initiated. The leaders have been advising to take precautions while interacting publically, “the Maoists have no right to threaten anybody, and all the issues must be settled out as per the law of the land; we have also beefed up the security in the bordering area where additional forces are being deployed.
It should be noted that Maoist has been long inciting the farmers to join their armed struggle in the region. However, the growing presence of the security forces in the Bhadrachalam region has thwarted their plan’s effectiveness; it is worth mentioning here that over the past few years, the local police and the paramilitary forces stationed in the region have launched several welfare schemes that have helped them build a good rapport within the local tribal community.
It is to be noted that the region has a long history of Maoist violence and is considered a hotbed of outlawed CPI-Maoist due to its strategic location, where infiltration from leaders and armed groups of the banned outfit from neighbouring Chhattisgarh is quite common.
