Hyderabad, December 1: Seven Maoists, including a leader carrying a bounty of Rs 20 lakh, were killed in an encounter with the police in Telangana’s Mulugu district on Sunday morning. The encounter took place during a combing operation in the forested area of Eturunagaram, officials said.
Among the deceased were Kursam Mangu alias Bhadru, a key member of the banned CPI (Maoist) Telangana State Committee and Secretary of the Yellandu-Narsampet Area Committee, along with a female cadre. Six of the seven killed were reportedly natives of Chhattisgarh.
According to Mulugu District Superintendent of Police Shabarish P., the encounter occurred when the Telangana Police’s specialized anti-naxal force, Greyhounds, engaged the Maoists during a routine combing operation. The Maoists allegedly opened indiscriminate fire when asked to surrender, prompting the police to retaliate in self-defense.
The police recovered seven bodies and seized two AK-47 rifles from the site. Several other Maoists managed to escape. The encounter follows a recent incident in Mulugu district, where Maoists were suspected of killing two villagers over suspicions of being police informers.
Additional DGP (Law and Order) Mahesh M. Bhagwat lauded the efforts of the police team involved in the operation and urged remaining Maoist cadres to surrender and reintegrate into the mainstream.
The operation marks a significant blow to the banned organization and highlights the continuing efforts of Telangana Police to curb Maoist activities in the region.
