Maoist victims stage protest

VISAKHAPATNAM: A group of tribals staged a protest in front of the houses of three civil rights activists in the city on Wednesday to protest the alleged support to Maoists by civil rights activists. Around 20 to 30 tribals belonging to Veeravaram village and other parts of GK Veedhi mandal, one of the most Maoist-infested mandal, raised their voice against civil rights activists.
The protesters included family members and relatives of Gemmeli Sanjeeva Rao, who was brutally killed by Maoists a week ago in the Korukonda block. It may be recalled that soon after Sanjeeva Rao's brutal killing, enraged tribals had killed three Maoists, including a commander, Sindri Chinna Ranga Rao alias Sarat.
The activists staged protests outside Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Council (APCLC) Visakha unit president T Srirammurthy's house at Gajuwaka, as well as APCLC members G Raghuram's house at Mangapuram Colony near Kalabharathi Auditorium and A Annapoorna's house at Arilova.
They questioned the civil rights activists on their reasons for supporting Maoists who have been killing innocent tribals and urged the civil liberties leaders to protect them from Reds. But the civil rights leaders alleged that the tribals were brought from Visakha agency by cops, who influenced them to conduct the protest. Interestingly, the presence of many Visakha Rural police cops involved in anti-naxal operations was visible in the protest areas.
Speaking to media persons, one of the tribals Sanjeeva Rao asked why the civil rights leaders were not questioning the Maoist menace against tribals. "APCLC leaders have been raising their voice whenever any Maoist is killed or arrested, but never in support of tribals being killed at the hands of Naxalites," he said.
On the other hand, APCLC leader Raghuram accused the police department of creating another Salwa Judum in the Visakha Agency against Maoists and alleged that it was the cops who had brought the tribals to his house. "APCLC does not have any link with the killings of tribals by Naxalites or the killing of Naxalites by tribals. APCLC will send a fact finding committee to the Korukonda incident area," he said, pointing out that APCLC has never told people or Naxalites to kill anyone and its only endeavour was to protect the democratic rights of the people.