Protesting the anti-naxal operations in the district, Maoists allegedly belonging to Sabari Area Committee in Bhadrachalam division in Khammam district set ablaze a poclain in Chatty village in Chintur mandal on Sunday.
According to sources, the Maoists sprinkled diesel on the poclain in a stone crushing unit, and set it ablaze in the early hours of Sunday.
A letter, believed to have been left behind by the miscreants, stated that that Sabari Area Committee was responsible for the act. The committee members stated that they resorted to this act condemning the anti-naxal operations in the district.
Sources said that 10 members of the committee were involved in the act.
This incident assumes importance in the wake of Maoists kidnapping 5 tribals - Payam Chalapathi (22), Kunja Venkateswarlu (28), Sunnam Subbaiah (55), Borra Achyut (35), and one more tribal from Danavaipet village in Cherla mandal in Khammam district - 2 days back.
The Naxals kidnapped the tribals on the suspicion that they were serving the police as informers. When the villagers tried to thwart the attempts, the Maoists told the villagers that they would not harm any of the 5, and send them back after quizzing them. It is learnt the 5 tribals were kidnapped for abetting smuggling of teakwood from Chhattisgarh.
Police launched a combing operation on the Andhra - Chhattishgarh border to trace the tribals and are checking vehicles in the Agency area.
The Greyhounds and CRPF forces fanned out into the forest area in search of Maoists and tribals, according to Kothagudem-based anti- Naxalite operations officer K Raghurami Reddy.