New Delhi: Intelligence reports suggest that the Maoists are slowly finding a fresh foothold in Telangana after the division of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh state. The reports point out that CPI (Maoists) are re-entering the region from where they had been painstakingly pushed out by concerted effort of state police and central forces towards the close of the 2000 decade.
Sources said much of the Maoist activity has been found to be initiated in districts bordering the new Andhra Pradesh. "The Maoists have even formed a special zonal committee and movement of cadres has been spotted. Significant Maoist activity has been reported from districts such as Bhadrachalam in Telangana," said a security establishment officer.
Sources said, the haphazard division of the state has led to many local issues cropping up in the bordering districts which Maoists are exploiting. "Several villages in the bordering districts have been arbitrarily exchanged between the two states without thorough consultation with stakeholders and residents. This has led to suffering and discontent which Maoists are cashing in. They were looking at the separation of the state as an opportunity to resurrect themselves in an uncertain administrative atmosphere. Such mistakes have given them a window," said the officer.
Such fears had been expressed in the run up to the division of the state as well. However, these were brushed aside on the ground that a small state would be easier to police leaving little window for Maoists to stir up passions. Beginning 2008, Maoists had hardly been able to mount attacks inside Andhra with total casualty of security forces between 2008 and 2013 coming to only three. However, given that a majority of CPI (Maoist) top leadership comprises of people from Telangana, the desire to resurrect Maoism in the state has always been there with the outfit.
