Naxal bandh call: high alert sounded on Andhra-Orissa border

Following the two-day bandh call issued by Maoists in protest against the arrest of top Maoist Ramakrishna’s wife Padma by the Orissa police in Koraput district on Sunday, a high alert has been sounded on the Andhra-Orissa border regions and Superintendents of Police of Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam districts were asked to be on their toes.

The Orissa police arrested Padma when she visited the Andhra-Orissa border to meet her husband Ramakrishna, also known as RK. RK is suffering from high fever.

Along with Padma, the police also took a casual labourer of the Guntur Municipal Corporation Antony, his wife Eswari and one Punni and seized some incriminating documents from them.

They were produced in Koraput court on Monday and were remanded to 14-day police custody.

Meanwhile, the police also intensified combing in the Andhra-Orissa border and deployed helicopters to patrol the Maoist infested areas. The helicopters are scouring the forests to identify the Maoists dens, according to sources.

The police are taking the assistance of paramilitary forces and Central Reserve Police Forces in their combing operations to arrest Maoist leader Ramakrishna and AOB chief Maoist Surender. The government has already announced a reward of Rs 12 lakh on the Maoist’s head.