AP govt grants permission for Naxal rally

Police had considered denying permission to the meeting, citing the recent bomb blasts in the city, the arrest of Islamic cleric Naseeruddin in connection with the murder of former Gujarat minister Haren Pandya and traffic congestion. Later, Cyberabad Commissioner M. Mahender Reddy said permission has been accorded to the Naxalites to organise a public meeting at Peerazadiguda from 5 pm to 8 pm.

In reply to a question, he said, the required security arrangements would be made as was done during public meetings. The meeting is being organised to mark the merger of the PWG and the Maoist Communist Centre for India (MCCI).

Meanwhile, Naxalites in Chhattisgarh have stepped up violence. They killed two women and torched several vehicles in Sarguja district on Sunday night, police said.

Naxalites shot dead Kunti Bai after dragging her out of her house at Parmeswarpur village, SP Bharat Singh said. Kunti’s husband Seshnath Singh had been killed by the ultras in April, he said.

Another woman, identified as Kalpana Bodal was killed when Naxalites fired at a car on the Sarguja-Vanaras road yesterday, Singh said. The rebels also set fire to several trucks carrying bauxite in the district.

‘‘This is not a good development for the state as Naxalites were crossing over from Andhra Pradesh to commit crimes here. With the influx of ultras from Jharkhand also, Sarguja is becoming sensitive,’’ the SP said.