Telangana: Seven Maoists were killed in an early morning encounter by Telangana Police's special Greyhound force in a forest in Mulugu district, news agency PTI reported. The encounter erupted during a combing operation by the specialised force in the forest area of Eturnagaram, police said.
"Seven Maoists were killed in the exchange of fire", a senior police official told PTI, adding two AK 47 rifles were among the weapons seized from the scene.
Among those killed was Kursam Mangu alias Bhadru, Secretary of Telangana State Committee (Yellandu Narsampet) of the banned CPI (Maoist), he said.
Key Leaders Suspected Among the Slain
Among those killed was reportedly Badru, alias Kursam Mangu, the secretary of the Yellandu-Narasampeta Area Committee and a member of the Telangana State Committee of the banned CPI (Maoist). Other identified individuals included Egolapu Mallaiah alias Madhu (43), Mussaki Deval alias Karunakar (22), Jai Singh (25), Kishore (22), Kamesh (23), and Mussaki Jamuna (23).
Weapons Recovered
Police recovered two AK-47 rifles, explosives, and other weapons from the encounter site. Senior officials rushed to the scene to oversee the operation. Authorities reported no casualties among the Greyhounds personnel.
Maoist Activities in the Region
This marks the first major encounter in Mulugu district in recent years and comes amid efforts by CPI (Maoist) to revive its activities in the region. Recently, on November 21, Maoists killed two individuals, Uika Ramesh and Uika Arjun, in Penugolu Colony, Wajedu mandal, accusing them of being police informers.
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The victims, including Ramesh, the secretary of Peruru Gram Panchayat, were allegedly providing intelligence to the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB), a specialized anti-Maoist agency. The Maoists left a note at the crime scene, justifying their actions and warning others against collaborating with the police.