4 Maoist supporters held

Visakhapatnam: Four Maoist supporters were arrested, who helped the Maoists in eliminating Government Whip Kidari Sarveswara Rao and former law maker Siveri Soma on September 23 at Livitiput village near Dumbriguda limits in Visakhapatnam agency. 

Denying the allegations that the TDP leaders were killed due to their illegal mining activities, Vizag rural Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Sharma said that the Maoists had murdered the duo to show their existence and instil fear among political leaders.

The four arrested were identified as Yedala Subba Rao (45), Gemmeli Sobhan (32), Yedela Eswari (34) and Korra Kamala (35), all natives of Dumbriguda mandal and tribals.

These four were reportedly former members of the Organisation for Protection of Girijan Rights (OPGR), which is an inactive group of Maoist supporters. Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by DCP K Fakeerappa had arrested two women and two men on Saturday.

Addressing the media here on Sunday, Fakeerappa said that after investigating around 300 witnesses, police prepared a charge sheet by making 55 members as accused in the assassination case of two TDP leaders.

Police had identified that the arrested persons had informed the Maoists about the tour of TDP MLAs on September 21 (two days before the assassination), Maoists from Nandapur and Narayanapatnam area committees led by Maoists top gun Venkata Ravi Chaitanya alias Aruna of Nandapur Dalam came to Livitiput area and took shelter on September 22 after entering Dumbriguda via Paduva area from Koraput.

Police officers said that on September 23, MLA Sarveswara Rao and former MLA Siveri Soma were on their way to attend a meeting (Grama Vikas) at Sarai under Dumbriguda mandal. But as per the information from the four arrested, the Maoists stopped both the MLA and the former MLA at Livitiput and pumped bullets in their bodies at point-blank range after conducting a ‘Praja court’ (Public Court)
Police had prepared a FIR by making 55 persons as the accused in the double murder case and the arrested four were accused of 46, 47, 48 and 49 respectively. The arrested confessed that they have helped the Maoists for killing of the TD leaders.