Now it’s Rayalaseema’s turn to face naxalite ire

KURNOOL: The People''s War naxalites have now started eyeing the Rayalaseema region as the police has turned their attention to Telangana and south coastal districts and focusing less on this region.
Many villages and towns, adjacent to forest areas in the four districts of the region, are in a grip of fear with the PW striking at regular intervals.
Giving a new turn to their struggle, the PW blasted an exchange of a cellular company in Rayachoti in Cuddapah district recently.
This is the first instance, in which the PW has attacked a private cellular operator''s property in the state. In another incident, a PW Dalam in Anantapur district torched a C-dot telephone exchange of BSNL at Yerragunta village in Raptadu mandal.
Yet another Dalam blew up a rice mill, belonging to a Telugu Desam Party leader Jayarami Reddy in Peddinenikaluva village in Sundupalli mandal in Cuddapah district recently.
About 20 naxalites, including eight women members, went to Reddy''s house and enquired about his whereabouts.
As Reddy was not available, they ransacked his house and destroyed property worth Rs 3 lakh. They also blasted his rice mill.
The PW maintained calm till the end of August and then began striking in Rayalaseema region. Their efforts to kill four ministers in Atmakuru in Kurnool district about two months ago went in vain due to the police vigil. The ministers, including Tummala Nageswara Rao, B V Mohan Reddy, Mani Kumari and N Md Farooq, attended several programmes at Atmakuru.
On the same night, the naxalites killed two activists of TDP, who participated in the ministers'' programme. After two weeks, the PW Nallamala Dalam attacked a landlord in Velugodu mandal and robbed cash and jewellery after beating him black and blue.
The PW has been taking advantage of the terrain of the Nallamala forests spread across Guntur, Prakasam, Kurnool, Mahaboobnagar, Nalgonda and Cuddapah district.