AP arms haul indicates changed 'shelter strategy' of Maoists

The recent recovery of a cache of Maoists arms near West Godavari district points to change in strategy of rebels, who are now choosing thickly populated areas as their hideouts, a top police official said.
   
"The huge catch of explosive material at Paidiparru village near Tanuku town recently is an indication that they (Maoists) have changed their strategy of taking shelter," the official told PTI.
    
This could be an attempt by the Naxals to regain control over Andhra Pradesh, he said."Tanuku was never known for naxal activity in the past. Maoists are now making use of peaceful areas to store their arms and carry out extremist activities instead of setting up a series of hideouts in jungles," he said.
    
The huge dump explosive material was recovered after the killing of two top Maoists in an encounter last month. One of the slain Maoist leaders Kondal Reddy was operating his activities from Paidiparru village where he took a room on rent posing as a scrap dealer. Based on his diary seized from the encounter site, police searched houses in the area.
    
The surfacing of two top Maoist leaders—-Shakamuri Appa Rao and Kondal Reddy, killed in encounter last month, gave credence to the inputs that they visited the state with an intention to revive the activities in Nallamalla forests which was once known to be fortress of naxal activities, he said.