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Hyderabad, Jul 18 (PTI): Appealing to Telangana tribal people not to support Maoists, the state Director General of PoliceM Mahendar Reddy on Saturday alleged the topleadership of the banned organisation was leading an affluent lifestyle while innocent tribals are being made scapegoats.
Reddy, who held a high-level review with senior police officials in Mulugu district, said the state police resolved not to allow any activities of Maoists on Telangana soil.
"Maoist Party senior leaders such as Hari Bhushan and Damodar are leading luxurious lives while innocent tribal people are being victimised. The Maoists are trying to re- enter into Telangana. We will not allow their misdeeds on Telangana soil," a police press release quoted the DGP as saying.
He said the police would effectively thwart the attempts being made by the Maoists who "fled" 10 years ago, to re-enter into the state with a plan to extort money by threatening doctors, engineers and businessmen.
Reddy said the Maoists were trying to create unrest in Telangana at a time when the people of the state are happy living as every village is now connected by roads and getting facilities like education and health.
The DGP warned that the department will deal a severe blow to the Maoists who commit "murders" in the guise of informers.
On Friday, he said police were on alert and were conducting massive combing operations to nab five CPI Maoists, includinga senior member, carrying a reward of Rs 25 lakh, who escapedafter an exchange of fire with police in Kumram Bheem Asifabaddistrict on July 14 night.
He had told reporters as many as 500 personnel ofGreyhounds, the elite anti-naxal force of Telangana police,Telangana State Special Police, Armed Reserve and local policewere on the hunt for the Maoists.
He exuded confidence that they would soon be nabbedand appealed to people not to provide shelter to the outlaws.
Two groups of Maoists members, including the five ultrasled by Bhaskar, Telangana "State Committee" member of CPI(Maoist), armed with AK-47 assault rifle, had escaped after anexchange of fire with police in separate incidents in forestareas in K B Asifabad district and Bhadradri- Kothagudemdistrict on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
Reddy vowed to ensure that there was no Maoist activityin Adilabad, Asifabad, Nirmal and Mancherial districts thatconstitute the erstwhile undivided Adilabad district.
He said the Maoists were seeking to create terror andtension among Adivasis and also sow seeds of suspicion at atime when the government has taken up a lot of development andwelfare programmes.
Reddy warned that development and welfare programmesundertaken by the state government, particularly for thebenefit of the Adivasis, would be hampered if Maoists wereallowed to re-enter the district.
"People should cooperate with police and not provide shelter to the Maoists and ensure they do not re- establishbase. Development and welfare programmes will be hampered (ifthe Maoists re-enter)," the DGP had said.
Bhaskar, who hails from Adilabad district of Telangana,is allegedly involved in multiple offences and has goneunderground for nearly 30 years.
He carries a reward of Rs 25 lakh on his head announced by the state government.
His wife is also a Maoist, police said.
The group had entered Telangana from bordering Maharashtra and had been moving around in the forest areas forthe past two months.PTI