In Telangana, vigil has been stepped up in Mancherial district and neighbouring districts following Yesterday’s exchange of fire between security forces and the outlawed Leftwing organisation, CPI (Maoist), in neighbouring Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra. The exchange of fire left four Maoists, including two divisional committee members from Telangana, dead.

The four deceased Maoists carried a collective cash reward of 36 lakh rupees declared by the Maharashtra government on their heads. Meanwhile, drone-aided surveillance has been intensified along the riverine stretch of the Telangana-Maharashtra border by Telangana’s Mancherial district police to ensure peaceful conduct of Lok Sabha elections in Telangana scheduled on 13th of May.

Local Police informed that the CPI (Maoist) suffered a blow in north Telangana with the death of its two divisional committee members identified as Vargeesh, Secretary of Mangi Indravelli Area Committee and Magtu, Secretary of Sirpur Chennur Area Committee. The two other deceased Maoists were identified as platoon members Kursang Raju and Kudimetta Venkatesh.