The police have sounded a high alert in the State in the wake of the Maoists’ encounter with security personnel on the Bijapur-Sukma district borders in Chhattisgarh on Saturday. Security has been beefed up along the inter-State borders and combing operations have been been intensified.
Though the exact number of people died in the encounter is yet to be ascertained, the officials confirmed that 22 personnel of the CRPF, Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) and the District Reserve Guard (DRG) were killed and 30 jawans were injured. Several jawans have were reportedly gone missing after the encounter and a few Naxals were also killed in the operation.
Soon after the encounter, the police have intensified combing operations along the Andhra Pradesh-Chhattisgarh and the Andhra-Odisha Borders (AOB) and A.P.-Telangana borders to prevent the Maoists entering the State.
“According to reports, around 500 armed Naxalites, including the cadres of People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) and the local dalams of the South Bastar Divisional Committee attacked the combing party. Acting on a tip-off that the injured Naxalites in the operation may escape into the neighbouring States, we have stepped up vigil along the borders,” a senior police officer told The Hindu on Sunday.
Security up for VIPs
Security provided to all VIPs has been tightened and advisories have been issued to those on the Naxal hit-list not to enter tribal hamlets in the Maoist-hit areas, the officer said.
“We have kept our forces on high alert on the Andhra Pradesh-Chhattisgarh borders and AOB. Instructions have been issued for undertaking anti-naxal operations along the borders, with the help of our counterparts in the neighbouring States,” said Director General of Police (DGP) D. Gautam Sawang.
