Ex-Naxal Seeks Police Protection

Konapuri Ramulu, an ex-naxal and currently a Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader, sought police protection after receiving life-threatening phone calls, allegedly from the same forces who killed his brother Sambasivulu 3 months ago.

According to sources, Ramulu had approached the Vanasthalipuram police on May 24th, and lodged a complaint with them, stating that he was threatened that he would meet an end similar his brother's. Ramulu is understood to have sought police protection.

The police had apparently assured him that they would probe the threatening phone calls that he was receiving, but had refused to acknowledge his request for police protection.

A senior police officer explained that the fact that a number of policemen had lost their lives due to Ramulu made them cold to the ex-naxal's pleas for protection.

"What will we say to the widows of the policemen killed by him and his men if we grant him police protection?" the officer questioned.

Konapuri Ramulu was one of the most wanted Naxalites in the state when he surrended himself to the police in June 2003. He claimed the prize money placed on him, and reportedly lived a clean life for 2 years.

In 2005, he went back underground after his name surfaced during the investigations of a few crimes. It is believed that he then led an attack on a police station in Atmakur, Nalgonda, killing a sub-inspector and 2 constables.

Soon afterwards, he once again surrendered himself to the police, after which he joined the ranks of the TRS politburo.

3 months ago, Sambasivudu (who was also a TRS member then) was waylaid and attacked with knives and sickles by 15 assailants. This incident is popularly attributed to illegal land deals, rather than to his life as a Naxalite.

Ramulu now suspects that Mohammed Nayeemuddin, the prime accused in his brother's murder case, could be behind the threats meted out to him, too, as he was not nabbed by the police.