Maoists threaten to attack TRS leaders

 Hyderabad: In the wake of Friday’s encounter involving the death of 10 Maoists on Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, official spokesperson of the CPI (Maoist) Jagan issued a letter on Saturday threatening to attack TRS leaders. Following this, a high alert has been sounded in the state and an advisory has been issued to the ministers and MLAs on precautions to be followed.

The letter termed Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh and his Telangana counterpart K Chandrashekar Rao dictators. “The Maoist party would repulse attacks being made by the states to root out the Maoists by Telugu states, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and the Centre with the people’s support,” it said. 

The ruling party leaders, mainly ministers, MPs and MLAs, were advised against undertaking travel in the Maoist-dominant districts of old Karimnagar, Warangal, Khammam and Adilabad.

If inevitable to travel in the extremism-affected Chhattisgarh-Telangana border districts, they were advised to inform the local police in advance and seek police protection. The ministers were asked to cancel official programmes in interior villages in the border areas and also in Karimnagar and Warangal districts.    

Within hours of the encounter, border districts were put on high alert and vehicle checks were undertaken and movements of suspected Maoist sympathisers in the villages were under a scanner. 

The state Home department in coordination with the intelligence wing also reviewed the need to step up the police protection to some ministers and legislators hailing from the Maoist-affected districts. 

The provision of bullet-proof vehicle to the leaders facing threat from the Maoists was also under consideration. Apart from Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, IT minister KT Rama Rao and Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao have been provided bullet and mine-proof vehicles during their visit to the border districts of Telangana.

Such facility will also be extended to other ministers during their official visit to remote areas, if required.  To prevent any flash strikes on police stations by the Maoists in sensitive areas, station buildings were fortified with strict vigilance by deploying additional special police forces. DGP M Mahendar Reddy is in touch with the concerned SPs and closely monitoring the developments post-Maoist encounter in the border region.