KARIMNAGAR: Fear psychosis has gripped the people living in several villages around Mahadevpur, in Manthani Assembly constituency of Karimnagar district, following the death of eight persons including five Punjab. Commandos in a landmine blast near Pankena village, about 150kms away from here, on Nov.26. Heavy police force has been deployed in the dense forest areas of ‘the constituency to intensify the anti Naxal combing operations. Scores of suspected Peoples War ‘Group (PWG) Naxal it’s have been allegedly whisked away by the police from the nearby villages. A number of villages including: Lenkalagadda, Peddampeta, Ambatpally, Suraram, Penkena, Palimela, Dammoor, Neelampally, Elkishwar, Bommapur and Kishnaraopet under Mahdevapur mandal wore a deserted look, on Sunday, as most of the houses there remained either locked or closed. Local people told a team of visiting media persons from Karimnagar and Hyderabad that armed police personnel stormed the villages and beat up some of them indiscriminately. Residents of Mehadeypur and Manthanihaye also faced the wrath of the rampaging policemen. It is alleged that the police had forcibly taken away a number of private and Andhra Pradesh State Road ‘Transport Corporation (APSRTC) vehicles, despite strong protests from the operators, to transport ‘waiting policemen to the forest for combing operations. An APSRTC bus conductor and a driver were allegedly beaten up after they refused to give the bus to the police. According to a local farmer, three men including one Voda Mallaiah (G0) of Ambatipally village, and two youth from Meddigadda were abducted by policemen, who came in a jeep along with some Punjab commandos, ‘The driver of the ill-fated tractor trolley, Rajaram of Begloor village, was allegedly forced by the local police to transport the Punjab Commando Force commandant Gurudip Singh Sahi, deputy commandant Santosh Singh and 10 others, from Mahadevpurto Pankena fora surprise visit to the Punjab Commando armed outpost. Meanwhile in Chandigarh, Bodies of the five Punjab Police Commandos who were killed in a land mine blast in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday were flown in here by a special Indian Ari Force aircraft on Sunday evening. These commandos had been deployed for poll duty in Telangana region of that state.
Shocked close relatives of the deceased were among those present at the airport to receive the bodies.
The Health Minister, Harcharan Singh Brar, Food and Supplies Minister, Lal Singh and the Chief Secretary, A.S.Chatha were present to receive the bodies at the airport. They placed wreaths on the coffins of the deceased. The Punjab Police officers who placed wreaths included O.P. Sharma, P.C, Dogra and Subo Singh.
The bodies were immediately taken in open trucks decorated with flowers to their respective home towns where they will be cremated with full state honors. The body of Commandant Gurdeep Singh Sahi will be cremated at the Sector 25 crematorium on Monday. Twentynineyearold head con stable Kulbir Singh who had left his home on the Diwali day is survived by his wife and a two year old daughter. He belonged to Saidpur village of Kapurthala district. Commandant Gurdeep Singh Sahi who was on deputation from the BSF to the Punjab Police is survived by wife and two sons, He belonged to Chandigarh, Other killed included Santok Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police, head constable Kewal Krishan from Hoshiarpur district and con stable Parshotam Lal from Jalandhar City. Two injured constables Raj Kiran Singh and Jagjit Singh were ad mitted to the PGI. One of the commandos with not very serious injuries, has been retained in Hyderabad.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 2, 1994
