Telangana police on Friday arrested four individuals in Adilabad district, foiling an alleged attempt to revive banned Naxal group Janashakti in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district. Adilabad Police Commissioner Gaush Alam revealed that four 7.65mm pistols, 18 live rounds, eight magazines, six mobile phones and a car were seized during a routine check of a vehicle at the outskirts of Adilabad city.

Three of the accused are from Nandyal district of Andhra Pradesh while the fourth is from Nalgonda district of Telangana state.

The main accused, Venkata Reddy, a former member of the banned group Janashakti, is accused of masterminding a revenge killing linked to an earlier murder case in Suryapet district, Telangana. Authorities claim that Reddy sought to rebuild the Janashakti organization in Kurnool district with financial support from the fourth accused.

According to police, the group procured firearms from Bihar and were intercepted while returning via Adilabad. A case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act has been registered.

Special teams from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar have been formed to further investigate the case and apprehend other persons involved, police added.

This operation follows the alleged killing of two individuals by Maoists in Mulugu district of Telangana. The Maoists were allegedly guilty of this crime because they were suspected of being police informers. On Thursday evening, the gang of Maoists allegedly entered Penugolu Colony, Wajedu Mandal and murdered the victims, identified as Peruru Gram Panchayat secretary Uika Ramesh and a local resident, Uika Arjun, with sharp weapons. The murder also allegedly took place in front of family members of the deceased victims.

Later, a leader of the banned group Shantha also issued a statement claiming responsibility for the killings.

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