VISAKHAPATNAM: Ahead of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s visit to Visakhapatnam district, Maoists once again sent a strong message to the government by detaining nine officials of Revenue department at Balapam area. The Maoists, however, released the officials after warning them of dire consequences if the police cases filed against the tribals who were involved in APFDC’s coffee garden issue a few years back are not withdrawn.The government officials including Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) KRD Prasad Rao and Deputy Tahsildar of Chintapalle Mangu were detained by the Korukonda Dalam of Maoists at Balapam village of Chintapalle mandal which is considered as a Maoist stronghold on Wednesday.The officials had gone in a private vehicle to identify land for second phase distribution of land patta under the Forest Rights Act. While they were moving in the areas, a group of Maoists of Korukonda Dalam, who played a vital role in kidnap of Vineel Krishna, Collector of Malkangiri in Odisha a few months back, came to the spot and detained them. The Maoists told them to take steps to withdraw the cases filed against 95 tribals. After a few hours, the Maoists released the officials.As the Revenue officials did not return their homes in the evening, their families suspected that Maoists may have kidnapped them and informed police. Before police could take any step, the family members were informed by the officials of ITDA, Paderu that the latter had received SMS about release of revenue officials by the Maoists.Late in the night, Visakhapatnam SP G Srinivas told Express that the revenue officials had safely returned home. However, he said he was ignorant about what the Maoists had discussed with the Revenue officials.
Comments
0 comment