Andhra Pradesh: Police arrest 28 in naxal crackdown in Vijayawada

Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], November 18 (ANI): In a major crackdown on Naxal activities, Krishna District Police, led by Vidyasagar Naidu, arrested 28 people, including 21 women and seven men, from Kotha Autonagar in Vijayawada.
Superintendent of Police (SP) of Krishna District, Vidyasagar Naidu, stated that based on credible intelligence, a joint operation in Kotha Autonagar, Vijayawada, resulted in the arrest of 28 individuals.

He said that they have discovered a specialised team of Dev Ji (Naxal leader) protection wing, under the leadership of a woman named Jyoti.
Speaking to the reporters, Vidyasagar Naidu said, "Today, based on credible intelligence input, we, the Krishna Police and a joint team of various specialised wings of Andhra Pradesh, like the Octopus and the Intelligence, did a joint operation here. As part of that joint operation, we have unearthed the team of Maoists; they are 28 in number. They have been hiding here for a few days. We had kept them under surveillance, and at the right time, we picked them up."
"Out of these 28, there are 21 women and seven men. We have discovered that there is a specialised team of Dev Ji (Naxal leader) protection wing, under the leadership of a woman called Jyoti... A 9-member team is the specialised team...The rest are here after fleeing from Chhattisgarh. According to our preliminary information, they are planning an offence here...They will be produced before the Court tomorrow," Naidu said.
Further information on the incident is still awaited.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday spoke to top officials after the security forces neutralised Madvi Hidma, one of the most notorious Naxal commanders wanted in multiple cases of deadly attacks on security forces, top sources said.
Hidma was eliminated days ahead of the November 30 deadline set by security agencies for his capture or neutralisation, the sources told ANI.
Hidma, accused of orchestrating over 25 armed assaults on security forces and civilians, was reportedly shot dead in an encounter in Andhra Pradesh's Alluri Sitharamaraju district.
Sources said the gun battle took place near the tri-junction of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana -- a region long used by Maoists as a tactical safe zone. (ANI)