Maoists Call For Telangana Bandh, Police On High Alert

ADILABAD: Maoists on Saturday have called for Telangana Bandh demanding the release of revolutionary writer and poet Varavara Rao who was arrested in 2018 for his alleged involvement in the Bhima-Koregaon violence.

Police have heightened security in Maoist-affected areas, especially in undivided Adilabad district. Police are also engaged in intensive searches in agency areas, and are keeping a close watch on the catchment areas of Pranahita and Godavari rivers.

There has been patrolling in the catchment areas of the Godavari along with the areas of Mancherial in Telangana and Kotapalli, Vemnapalli, Pranahita in Maharashtra.

Police are using special teams and drones to keep a close watch on the areas, keeping an eye on those who are moving under suspicious conditions.

Police are on high alert as they were informed about the presence of Maoist party senior leaders at the state borders.

Maoist official spokesperson Jagan has called for a Telangana call for bandh on Saturday, July 25.

Police are intensifying inspections in the wake of announcements that meetings in memory of martyrs will be held from July 28. A total of 500 Special Party, Cat Party, and Greyhounds forces along with District DCP and ACP under the guidance of Ramagundam CP Satyanarayana are sifting through the forests in the Pranahita river catchment villages.

Police asked the villagers to provide information if new people were identified in a suspicious manner. He said there would be constant surveillance in the border areas. Officials said that CCTV cameras as well as drone cameras were being used for continuous surveillance in the Pranahita and Godavari catchment areas. Meetings were held by the police in border villages and people were alerted.