Himalayan News Service

Hyderabad, July 1:

In a major blow to the Maoist movement in Andhra Pradesh, a top guerrilla leader and three others were killed yesterday in an alleged gun battle with police. Among those gunned down were Riyaz Khan of the Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (CPI-ML) Janashakti, who had participated in last year’s peace talks with the government. The others killed in Mustabad in Karimnagar district were Janashakti’s district secretary Vijay, Gautam and Raja. While police claimed that the four were killed when a police party returned fire, Janashakti has alleged that they were shot dead after being arrested near Hyderabad where Khan had come for treatment. “He and others were arrested near Hyderabad last night and our worst fears have come true,” said Chandranna, an emissary of Janashakti, the second most powerful Maoist group after the CPI-Maoist.