Police bust pseudo-Maoist gang extorting money from contractors, public in Andhra Pradesh

By Siva.G
VISAKHAPATNAM: Alluri Sitarama Raju district police busted a pseudo-Maoist gang extorting money from contractors and the public in the name of Maoist party fund collection in Andhra Pradesh.
Of the five-member gang, cops arrested three pseudo-Maoists.

During the arrest, the police recovered several items, including three manpacks, two air pistols, three SBBL guns, three mobile phones, Rs 45,000 in cash, two Pulsar 150cc bikes, and three olive green dresses from the accused.
Speaking to media persons in Paderu on Tuesday, Alluri district superintendent of police Tuhin Sinha said that in recent incidents of extortion, it had come to light that former militia personnel were involved in such activities.
They were disguising themselves as Maoists and demanding money from contractors involved in developmental works, businesspeople, and citizens.
Chintapalli and G Madugula police led by Chintapalli additional SP KPS Kishore arrested three accused who were moving around and threatening road and bridge contractors and village elders in G Madugula area.
He said that Gemmeli Sathibabu, Mulajangi Chinnarao and Killo Epra were caught by the police near Alagam bridge, Alagam village and Luvvasingi Panchayath of G Madugula Mandal on the late night of Sunday.
Two other accused are still absconding.
The SP said that the Alagam bridge contractor was threatened by the accused and demanded a ransom of Rs 30 lakh on April 21.
The accused went to Alagam Bridge and called the contractor to the hill through three sarpanches and threatened to kill him if he did not pay the demanded amount by the end of the month. They burnt his machinery and left.
Further investigation revealed that Gemmeli Sathibabu, who had previously worked as a militia commander in the Killamkota area, participated in the attack on Gudhalam Veedhi Ashramam in G Madugula in 2015.
He had burnt a JCB by pouring diesel at Yerragoppa village near Korukonda to create fear among the people on March 20 of 2023.
Mulajangi Chinnarao, who worked as militia in the Killamkota area between 2013 and 2015, participated in the Bachali Balakrishna murder incident in 2014 and also participated in the attack on Gudhalam Veedhi Ashramam in 2015.
Tuhin Sinha made it clear that there is no Maoist party activity in the region presently.
G Madugula police station staff registered a case under sections 387, 419, 120(b) of the IPC and section 25 of the Arms Act.