Naxalite activity on the wane in AP

Reddy conceded that the naxalite violence had come down drastically following spate of surrenders, arrests and killing of PWG cadre in encounters but said “some more time was required to completely wipe off the naxal menace afflicting the state during the last three decades.

The naxalite movement has been at the receiving end especially, during the last four years with the arrest of 9,770 ultras of various outfits including dreaded outfit PWG following the “tough posture” adopted by the government.

One thousand and two naxalites were arrested by July this year as against 2,444 in 1996, 2,704 in 1997 and 3,620 in 1998, police sources told newsmen here.

There was also a steep rise in the number of encounters between police and naxalites in the recent past.

Nearly 145 exchange of fires occurred till July alone this year in which 157 ultras including top functionaries were killed, police said.

The highest number of 246 encounters were reported in 1998, 205 in 1997 and 159 in 1996.

Seven hundred and fifty seven naxalites were killed in the encounters during the last four years as against 140 police personnel casualties. One hundred and fifty seven ultras were killed in 1996, 168 in 1997, 275 in 1998.

On the other hand a mere seven police personnel lost their lives in first half of the current year while 47 in 1996, 51 in 1997 and 35 in 1998.

The state government’s appeal for the ultras to join social mainstream and the “counselling campaign” initiated by the police also yielded excellent results with 1,072 naxalites of various outfits bidding adieu to their outfits and joined mainstream since 1996.

Expressing a desire to eschew violence and join mainstream a total of 196 naxalites surrendered in 1996, 98 in 1997, 580 in 1998. About 198 naxalites have surrendered this year so far.