india

Updated: Sep 22, 2019 19:20 IST

At least three Maoists were killed and two others were injured in an encounter with the security forces in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam district on Sunday, the police said.

The incident took place at G K Veedhi block, bordering Odisha, when the police were conducting combing operations.

“The exchange of fire lasted over 30 minutes. At least three Maoists were killed and two others who were seriously injured are believed to be dead. We have seized weapons and kit bags,” Visakhapatnam rural superintendent of police Babujee Attada said.

He said the Maoists belonged to Galikonda squad of Andhra Odisha Border committee.

Starting Saturday, the Maoists have been observing 15 years of CPI (Maoist) party formation. It was founded on September 21, 2004 following the merger of erstwhile CPI (Marixst-Leninst) People’s War, Maoist Communist Centre of India and CPI (ML) Naxalbari.

The security forces received intelligence input that Maoists had held a rally in the Andhra-Odisha border on September 17. They reportedly called for week-long “celebrations” of the Maoist party formation and also taking up programmes for 50 days, to mark the 50-years of Naxalbari movement.

Following the intelligence inputs, security forces have intensified combing operations in the border areas. Acting on a tip-off about the movement of Maoists in Gummarevula areas, the police swooped on the village.

The encounter on Sunday took place almost at the same place where Maoists had killed former Telugu Desam Party MLAs Kidari Sarveshwar Rao and Siveri Somu on September 23 last year, alleging that they were supporting bauxite mining in the tribal areas.