Martyrs’ Week is observed from 28 July to 3 August by the Maoists in Vizag Agency. In view of this, teams of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Andhra Pradesh Special Police (APSP) and Greyhounds are on high alert at the Andhra-Odisha border (AOB). Additional police forces have been deployed in the forests to intensify combing operations. Night vision and drone camera technology are being used to identify the Maoists’ camping areas.
All vehicles are being inspected while entering the Visakhapatnam Agency area. The police forces, who believe that the militia may kill some tribals, suspecting them to be informers, have also taken precautionary measures. The police are on target that no tribal should fall prey to the Maoists. All the police stations in Koyuru, GK Veedhi, Chintapalli, G Madugula, Pedabayalu, and Munchangiputtu mandals, in the Vizag agency, have been alerted. Combing operations have intensified in Maoist heavy areas under Darakonda, Palavalasa, Balapam, Nurmati, and Rudakota outposts in the agency.
Police sources say, during the Maoists’ Martyrs’ Week, top leaders in Vizag Agency would gather and there are chances for new commandant recruitments. Taking precautionary measures, officials of the Public Transport Department have cancelled bus services to Bhadrachalam, and to Hyderabad, (and vice versa). These buses run from Visakhapatnam via Sileru. The bus services will resume after 3 August.
It may be recalled that last week, police forces and Maoists had an exchange of fire near Peddapalli in Ammavaridarakonda Panchayat in Visakhapatnam Agency. There was an exchange of fire with the Maoist squad under the Pedabayalu area committee. However, there were no casualties reported and the Maoists fled the area.
On 28 July 1972, Charu Majumdar, founder of the Naxal movement in the country, died in police custody in West Bengal. Ever since then, Maoists have annually been observing Martyrs’ Week from that date.
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