Seven Maoists killed in police encounter in Andhra Pradesh

A day after six Maoists were gunned down at Maredumilli in Andhra Pradesh, seven more died in another exchange of fire in the vicinity on Wednesday, police said.

Addressing a press conference in Vijayawada, Mahesh Chandra Laddha, ADGP, Intelligence said three women were among those died today.

"In continuation with Tuesday's operation, seven Maoists have died until now (on Wednesday), according to information received from the field," Laddha said, adding that today's operation occurred about 7 km away from the initial exchange of fire (EOF) site on Tuesday.

According to the senior officer, the seven Maoists were killed around 7 am today at Maredumilli in Alluri Sitaramaraju district.

Even as the identification of the slain Maoists is underway, Laddha said one of them was identified as Meturi Jokha Rao alias Tech Shankar.

Shankar, a native of Srikakulam, was in-charge (CCM) for Andhra Odisha Border (AOB) and had specialised in technical operations such as arms manufacturing and communication, the official said, based on preliminary information.

According to Laddha, Shankar had been in the Maoist movement for about 20 years and continuous security operations compelled him to move.

Further, Laddha noted that Shankar, a native of Srikakulam, would have probably come to the southern state to revive the movement.

On Tuesday, six Maoists, including top naxalite commander Madvi Hidma, were killed in an encounter with security personnel in the forested area of Maredumilli mandal.

Chhattisgarh Police described Hidma's death as the "final nail in the coffin" of the insurgency, who had masterminded several attacks over the last two decades.

Hidma headed the Maoists' People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) Battalion No. 1, the strongest military formation of the outfit in Dandakaranya, which spans parts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, and Maharashtra, apart from Bastar, for several years, officials said.