Naxalite killed in police encounter in AP's Warangal district

A Naxal team commander of CPI-ML New Democracy group was shot dead in an alleged encounter with police in a forest area in Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh today.

A Naxal team commander of CPI-ML New Democracy group was shot dead in an alleged encounter with police in a forest area in Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday.

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S Ramarao alias Ganesh, the Naxal team commander, was involved in several extortion and murder cases in Warangal district, according to police.

Police had to open fire in the air to quell a mob of angry villagers that pelted stones at them in protest against the killing of Ramarao in what they called a "fake encounter."

Ramarao hailed from Gujudu village under Kothaguda mandal in the district. Tension prevailed in Gujudu village as police prevented the villagers from going near Ramarao’s body.

A senior police official later said the situation was brought under control even as the slain Naxal’s body was removed for post-mortem in a nearby government hospital.

An exchange of fire broke out between the police party and alleged Naxalites, when the former was conducting a combing operation in the area in view of bandh call given by Maoists to protest the killing of CPI (Maoist) Central Committee spokesperson Azad in an encounter in Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh on July 2.

After this, the police found a body that was later identified as that of Ramarao, the DSP added. "About eight to nine more Naxals managed to escape from the scene into the nearby forest during the exchange of fire," he said.

Police recovered one self-loading rifle (SLR), two kit-bags and other material from the encounter site.