Naxals gun down Congress sympathiser

Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, Aug 3: CPI (Maoists) naxals shot dead a Congress sympathiser in K Bayanapalli village of Gidaluru Mandal in Prakasam District protesting against the killing of eight comrades, including its State Secretary Madhav, in an alleged fake encounter recently.

Police today said three ultras armed with guns took away the Congress sympathiser, P Prasad Reddy (48), to the village outskirts and directed him to make a telephone call to the Giddalur Congress Legislator P Ramaiah to press for his resignation.

Noticing villagers were approaching, the naxals opened three rounds of fire, killing Prasad Reddy on the spot late last night.

The extremists raised slogans against the ''fake encounter'' and police repression on comrades before leaving the village. Reddy was working with an insurance company.

UNI