3 top Maoist leaders killed in Andhra Pradesh

Security forces on Wednesday killed three senior Maoist rebels in Alluri Sitharama Raju district, near the Andhra-Odisha border, police said.

The states affected by left-wing extremism, or Naxalism, had announced several crores of rupees in reward for their arrest. "In Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB), Maoists' AOBSZC (Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee) secretary Uday and east division secretary Aruna, along with another cadre, were killed by the security forces in Alluri Sitharama Raju district," police said. Last week, four Maoist rebels were killed in an encounter with Gadchiroli Police and CRPF personnel near the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border, following a targeted anti-Naxal operation.

According to the press release, the operation involved 12 C60 commando teams, comprising around 300 personnel, and a CRPF unit. The operation was initiated on Thursday at noon from Kawande and Nelgunda, moving towards the Indravati riverbank near the recently opened forward operating base (FOB) Kawande, despite heavy rainfall in the area.


During cordoning and search operations along the riverbank, the Naxals opened fire on the C60 commandos, prompting retaliation. The exchange of fire lasted for nearly two hours. A subsequent area search led to the recovery of four bodies of the suspected Naxalites, one automatic self-loading rifle, two .303 rifles and a Bharmar.

Additionally, walkie-talkies, camping materials and Naxal literature were seized from the spot.

Anti-Naxal operations and area searches are ongoing. Meanwhile, in a major blow to the Maoist insurgency, security forces in Chhattisgarh killed 27 Naxals, including CPI-Maoist general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, during a joint operation in the Abujmarh forests of Narayanpur district.