The Hindu : TDP, BJP leaders shift base on eve of PW bandh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 08, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

TDP, BJP leaders shift base on eve of PW bandh

By Our Staff Reporter

NIZAMABAD APRIL 7. Leaders belonging to the Telugu Desam Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party have already left the district in wake of the Statewide bandh call given by the People's War on Tuesday to protest the killing of the North Telangana Special Zone Committee member, Polam Sudarshan Reddy alias Ramakrishna, in the Laxmipur encounter.

Fearing reprisals from the naxals, who are seething with anger to take revenge for the death of RK, as he was popularly known in PW circles, the TDP and BJP leaders as a precautionary measure have deserted their houses and chosen safe places for a couple of days. Ever since the Laxmipur encounter took place causing the death of RK, who was the Nizamabad division committee secretary, the PW naxals are trying to resort to violent activities.

The naxals made a vain bid to blast the Kamareddy RDO office and burnt 10 vehicles parked in the premises of a private hot mixing unit belonging to a private contractor. This apart, the PW naxals already sent signals of what is in store for the TDP leaders by gunning down the Tadwai mandal TDP convenor, Baddam Narsa Reddy, in broad daylight in Yerrapahad village last month.

What has caused further fears among the TDP and BJP circles is the recovery of a letter from the site of the hot mixing unit in Suddapalli where 10 vehicles were set ablaze. The letter specifically referred to the party decision to harm the leaders of the two parties right from the grassroots level. Not taking any chance, the district police has alerted the suspected targets about the threat perception. They were asked to take all precautions till the bandh call passes off. Immediately after the Laxmipur encounter, some of the TDP leaders scurried to safer places. But, the bandh call for Tuesday has only heightened their tension. The police have already alerted all the leaders who are on the hit list of the banned People's War naxalites. The leaders were asked to take all precautions to avoid any untoward incident.

It is not only the TDP and BJP leaders but some Congress leaders too were asked to take measures. The police have already advised the elected representatives from the district, particularly those belonging to the ruling party and the two district Ministers to avoid moving in the district. The police have told the leaders not to venture into their constituencies till the bandh call passes off peacefully.

Unprecedented security arrangements have been made by the district police on the eve of the bandh call. Though the police is on high alert in the aftermath of the Laxmipur encounter, security has been beefed up for Tuesday's bandh. Vehicle checking, road blocks, mobile patrolling, stepped up security for sensitive police stations is being undertaken thoroughly. The police officers were asked to restrict their movements on the eve of the bandh. Security was stepped up near the police offices, residences of officers and other vital installations. The police for a change summoned all the former militants and asked them to protect the Government buildings and other installations, which are prone to naxal attack. The former militants were told that they would be responsible for any incident and they are sleeping in Government buildings and other sensitive installations till the bandh passes off. It is after a long time that the police are fully geared up to face the bandh call in the wake of the killing of a top PW leader.

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