CPI (ML) New Democracy (Rayala faction) Mahabubabad district committee member Penuka Venkanna alias Vikram was arrested by the police here on Monday.
Superintendent of Police N. Koti Reddy said that they have recovered a country made gun, ten rounds of ammunition and revolutionary literature. The arrested naxalite Venkanna is a native of Jagannayakulagudem of Gudur mandal and joined the party in 1990, but later came out and looked after legal issues of the party from 1991. He contested the local body elections in 2001 and got elected as MPTC of Apparajupalli.
In 2005, due to his differences with Praja Prathighatana naxals, he joined the Gopanna faction of New Democracy party. He was arrested then and sent to jail. Upon release, he continued his affiliation with the party. When the Gopanna faction got divided into Rayala faction and Pedda Chandranna faction, he joined the Rayala faction. He was arrested twice earlier for threatening contractors and extorting money.
On Monday, the Gudur police, acting on a tip-off, arrested him while he was going to collect money from contractors.