By Express News Service

HYDERABAD/KHAMMAM: Nearly 50 Maoists, majority of them women cadre, killed in alleged encounters in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh neighbouring Telangana in the recent past and in almost every encounter, sources said, Telangana state police intelligence inputs played a vital role. Specific inputs shared by TS intelligence agencies have helped the police of the two neighbouring states win an upper hand over the Maoists, intelligence offcicials said.

In Friday’s alleged encounter in which eight Maoists were killed, the inputs by the Telangana police led the security forces to the place where the Maoists were hiding, sources said.A team of Telangana State police forces, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Chhattishgarh police conducted the joint operation on the borders of Telangana and Chhattishgarh following the inputs.

Sources said the Maoists are in the process of forming and strengthening a new zone Maharashtra- Madhya Pradesh and Chhattishgarh to spread their activities and the Telangana state intelligence and Greyhounds have obtained leads about Maoists camps located at border places.Meanwhile, a high alert has been sounded in Telangana-Chattishgarh border areas following Friday’s encounter.

Security has been beefed up in the agency area of Bhadrachalam division and combing operation has been intensified in the border villages to curb entry of Maoists into Telangana. Additional forces of Greyhounds and CRPF were deployed in the border areas. Police, meanwhile, are worried about possible revenge attacks by Maoists who have lost their key members in the recent encounters.

Recently, Maoists have destroyed a culvert between Pedamidisileru and Taliperu project and also killed one person branding him as police informer in Chhattisgarh.Sources said two days back, police have found two landmines near the border and defused them. Police have alerted all political targets and asked them to go safer places. Officials alerted all police stations located on the border areas and instructed them not to go alone outside the police station.

Speaking to Express, Bhadrachalam Officer on Special Duty Uday Kumar Reddy said they have alerted forces in the border areas. “We have taken all precautions and intensified combing operations. Forces have sealed border and intensified vigil all suspected areas,’’ he said.