Maoist couple killed in encounter in AP

Visakhapatnam, Dec 28 (UNI) Two naxals of CPI (Maoist) were killed in an encounter with police at Jamparalova Village in G K Veedhi Mandal of this district here past midnight.

Police today said the Maoists were holding a meeting in the forests of Panasapalli Village in the agency area where the special squad of the police was conducting combing operations.

The Maoists opened fire at the police. The fire was returned.

The gunfight lasted for about 30 minutes during which the naxal outfit's Central Committee Member V Chandramouli (45) and his wife Jothiaakka (35) were killed.

An SLR, two SBBL guns, claymore mines, two kit bags, three medical kit bags, country-made revolvers and a thapanch were seized from the scene of the encounter.

District Superintendent of Police J G Murali, who was monitoring the situation, had instructed the special police teams to exercise caution during combing operations as they risked being blown up by IEDs, particularly in agency areas of Chintapalli, G K Veedhi and Koyyuru Mandals.

Police had sounded high alert in the three north coastal districts and stepped up vigil in the agency areas, particularly along the Andhra-Orissa border in the wake of the incident.

Additional forces have been rushed to agency area and combing intensified along the sensitive forest on Andhra-Orissa border.

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