HYDERABAD, Feb 6: The recent encounter between the outlawed People's War Group (PWG) of Naxalites and the police in Nizamabad district, in which seven extremists were killed, has disturbed the already volatile situation in the Naxal-dominated north Telangana district.With the encounter, the electioneering in remote and rural areas of most of the Lok Sabha constituencies in the districts of Nizamabad, Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and Medak has come to a grinding halt. Many of the contestants are preferring not to visit villages and have handed over the job of campaigning to activists of their political parties.
Campaigning did not take off in Yellareddy and Kamareddy Assembly segments (Nizamabad district) of Medak parliamentary constituency, as the PWG killed a former MLA near Yellareddy a fortnight ago. The recent encounter further aggravated the situation as the PWG is known for retaliating in a big way whenever a major encounter occurs.
Even during Chief Minister and ruling Telugu Desam Partypresident N Chandrababu Naidu's tour to these district, police made unprecedented security arrangements. For instance, at a meeting in Warangal district, even school children who were waiting at the helipad to welcome the chief minister with flowers were cleared off minutes before the arrival of the VIP. About 2,500 policemen took control of the meeting place besides hundreds of plainclothes policemen who mingled with the crowds to prevent any untoward incident.
The PWG has already taken up its poll boycott campaign. In Siddipet Lok Sabha constituency, writing on the wall and posters have come up in almost all the Naxal-infested villages. The situation is no different in north Telangana districts.
But surprisingly, in Mahboobnagar district, PWG Naxalites pasted a poll boycott poster on the wall of a police station a day before Chandrababu Naidu was to address an election meeting in the town. This sent shocks waves in the police circles, forcing them to ask for additional forces including anti-Naxalitesquads.
Though the PWG had announced that it will not hamper the election process, police officials suspect that the Naxalite outfit may change its strategy in view of the Nizamabad encounter and resort to large scale-violence and target police teams deployed for election purposes.
``The PWG will make its intentions clear by retaliating in a major way. But we are prepared to meet any eventuality,'' said a senior police official engaged in the anti-Naxalite operations.
Meanwhile, Director-General of Police H J Dora reviewed the situation with superintendents of police and range deputy inspectors-general.
Field staff were advised to follow the guidelines issued while patrolling the villages. The SPs were asked to be available in the district headquarters round the clock so as to take spot decisions if the situation warranted.
``We don't want unnecessary casualties on our side. Even during the previous Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, we lost our men due to negligence and ignoring the guidelinesissued but not because of the striking capability of the PWG. We do not want it to happen this time,'' an officer of the rank of inspector-general said.
According to sources, the anti-Naxalite squads have intensified their operations, particularly in Nizamabad and Warangal districts, while combing operations are continuing unabated in other districts of Telangana. ``Reinforcements will be sent as soon as the Central teams arrive here,'' sources added.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that all the contestants from these districts were advised to keep themselves away from visiting villages as there was every danger of the PWG resorting to kidnapping.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
