MULUGU: Two men were allegedly hacked to death by Maoists in Penugolu village, Mulugu district, Telangana, on the night of November 21-22. Police say the killings were carried out over suspicions that the victims were acting as informers for the police.
The deceased have been identified as Uika Ramesh (36), the panchayat secretary of Penugolu village, and Uika Arjun (35). According to officials, around six Maoists entered the village late at night, splitting into two groups—one group went to Ramesh’s house, while the other targeted Arjun’s residence. They dragged both men out of their homes, beat them severely, and despite desperate pleas from their families, killed them by hacking them with axes.
Before leaving the village, the attackers left letters on the bodies of the victims, allegedly written by CPI (Maoist) Venkatapuram-Wazeedu area committee secretary, Shanta. The letters accused Ramesh and Arjun of spying on Maoist movements and passing information to the police’s Special Intelligence Bureau, which is involved in counterinsurgency operations. The letters stated that the two men had been warned several times to stop their alleged informant activities, but since they continued, they were executed as punishment.
By the time Wazeedu police reached the village early on November 22, the Maoists had already left. The bodies of the victims were taken to the Eturunagaram Community Health Center for post-mortem.
In response to the killings, Mulugu district police have intensified combing operations in the dense forests along the Chhattisgarh border, an area known for sporadic Maoist activity. Special police teams have been deployed for searches, and an alert has been issued advising political leaders and businesspeople to avoid the area.
While Maoist activity in Telangana has been minimal in recent years, occasional incidents of violence have occurred along the state’s border with Chhattisgarh, where Maoists from the neighboring state cross into Telangana to carry out attacks. In September, six Maoists were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, near Mulugu. The last major Maoist encounter in the state took place in March 2018, when 10 Maoists were killed in a clash with police in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district.
