Maoists suffered yet another blow in Bhadrachalam Agency as three Maoists including two women cadres were killed in an alleged exchange of fire with the police at Chennapuram forest area in Charla mandal on Wednesday night.
The incident coincided with the ongoing CPI (Maoist) Foundation Week.
Two separate incidents of “ exchange of fire” between the Maoists and the police took place one in Palvancha mandal and another in Charla mandal in a span of less than five hours on Wednesday, sparking tension in Telangana’s tribal dominated district. The outlawed outfit had suffered major setback earlier this month when three of its cadres were killed in separate “exchange of fire” incidents in the district. Since then, tension escalated in the Agency areas of the district.
Meanwhile, police said Maoists opened fire on a police team during an anti-Maoist operation in the reserve forest area in Palvancha mandal at about 1.45 p.m. on Wednesday. After a brief exchange of fire, the ultras escaped into the forest area leaving one SBBL gun, kit bags, a solar plate and other materials at the spot, police added.
In the second incident, an exchange of fire occurred between the Maoists and personnel of an anti-naxal squad of the district police at a hillock in Chennapuram forest area in Charla mandal at about 7 p.m.
The police found the bodies of one male and two female Maoists, whose identity unconfirmed, at the site of encounter, police sources added.
In a statement, Superintendent of Police Sunil Dutt said three bodies of Maoists, one 8 mm rifle, material used for explosion, and one kit bag were found at the scene of exchange of fire.
An intensive search is underway to nab the Maoists, who escaped from the scene.