The Hindu : PW naxalite beaten to death

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 15, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

PW naxalite beaten to death

By Our Staff Reporter

GUNTUR APRIL 14. A naxalite belonging to the Dachepally dalam of the outlawed People's War was killed and five other dalam members were beaten up by passengers of an RTC bus when the ultras tried to rob them by torching the bus between Gamalapadu and Sankarapur under Dachepally police station limits in Guntur district in the wee hours of Monday.

According to the Superintendent of Police, Ravi Sankar Ayyanar, Gamalapadu and Sankarapur villagers also joined the passengers in chasing and beating the naxalites. He said it was the first revolt of people against militants in the district.

Militants, armed with lethal weapons, stopped the bus set out for Hyderabad from Chilakuripet, near Gamalapadu. They broke open the diesel tank and sprinkled the fuel on the bus and lit it while all the 40 passengers were asleep.

The passengers woke up to the yells of the driver, K. Sambhasiva Rao, and got down hurriedly.

Hearing the screams of the passengers, some villagers also came to the spot. In the meantime, a naxalite hit the driver with an axe and tried to snatch the cash bag. But the driver repulsed the attack.

Emboldened by it, the villagers and passengers started beating up the remaining naxalites.

After chasing them to a distance, they pounced upon the naxalite fighting with the driver and beat him to death.

His identity was not known. The bus was partially burnt. The driver received a head injury.

Two tiffin box bombs were recovered from the spot, Mr. Ayyanar said.

Militants held

Meanwhile, special police parties arrested two active members of People's War, three sympathisers of naxalites and three unauthorised explosives suppliers.

Giving details at a press conference here, the Superintendent of Police said the two PW members — Billa Venkat Rao and Murikipudi Pethuru — were working in the village protection dalam of Bollapally mandal headquarters town.

There were several cases against them, including the landmine blast near Bandlamotu which claimed the lives of seven policemen in 2001.

The then Bandlamotu SI was also killed in the blast.

The arrested sympathisers were Bandla Gabriel, M. Deva Sahayam and M. Yohan of Bandlamotu mandal.

The unauthorised explosives suppliers — Sk. Raheem, P. Venkataramana and Burramukku Siva Reddy of Piduguralla town — were nabbed for supplying explosives to illegal users.

The SP said 1000 gelatine sticks, 1200 ordinary detonators and 200 electric detonators were recovered from them.

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