JOIN USAfter a prolonged lull, the Maoists have struck again in Andhra Pradesh, kidnapping three Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders from Visakhapatnam district.
The three TDP leaders—M Balayya Padal, the president of the party’s G K Veedhi Mandal unit and senior leaders Vandalam Balayya and Mukkala Mahesh—were abducted from their residences at Kothaguda village on Monday evening.
Opposing bauxite mining
The outfit has been opposing the state government’s proposal to undertake bauxite mining in the north coastal region.
The outlawed CPI (Maoist) East Division Secretary Kailasam sent a letter demanding the government to stop bauxite mining plans and withdraw paramilitary forces from the area.
According to official sources, there is no word yet from the abductors.
After coming to power last year, the ruling party of Andhra Pradesh has made it clear on several occasions that it would go ahead with bauxite mining in the region.