Telangana Police arrested four individuals in Adilabad district on Friday, foiling an alleged attempt to revive the banned Naxal outfit Janashakti group in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool district. Adilabad Superintendent of Police Gaush Alam revealed that four 7.65 mm pistols, 18 live rounds, eight magazines, six mobile phones, and a car were seized during a routine vehicle check on the outskirts of Adilabad town.
Three of the accused are from Andhra Pradesh’s Nandyal district, while the fourth is from Telangana's Nalgonda district.
The main accused, Venkata Reddy, a former member of the proscribed Janashakti group, is accused of orchestrating a revenge killing tied to a past murder case in Suryapet district, Telangana. Authorities claim Reddy sought to rebuild the Janashakti organisation in Kurnool district with financial support from the fourth accused.
According to police, the group procured firearms from Bihar and was intercepted while returning through Adilabad. A case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act has been registered.
Special teams from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar have been formed to investigate the case further and apprehend other individuals involved, police added.
The operation comes in the wake of alleged killing of two individuals by Maoists in Telangana's Mulugu district. The Maoists reportedly took to the crime due to the suspection that the two tribals were police informers. On Thursday night, the gang of Maoists reportedly entered Penugolu Colony, Wajedu mandal and murdered the victims, identified as Uika Ramesh, the secretary of Peruru Gram Panchayat, and a local resident, Uika Arjun, with sharp-edged weapons. The murder also allegedly took place in front of the family members of the deceased victims.
Later, a leader of the banned outfit Shantha also released a statement claiming responsibility for the murders.
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