PWG attack, retaliation for recent police killings

M S Shanker in Hyderabad

The Peoples War Group's offensive on Friday, in course of which a 60-member contingent raided the Karkaugudem police station near Manuguru in Khammam district, killing 16 policemen and two civilians, merely underlines the increased activities of the outlawed Marxist-Leninist group.

Two facets of the attack merit mention -- the first being that the Naxalites struck in force and second, that the explosives used were of an increasingly sophisticated nature.

And if this indication that the PWG cadres were up to full strength, and that their arsenal had been replenished during recent months, was not enough, the attackers walked away with a haul of three AK-47 assault rifles, 2,000 rounds of ammunition, two carbine self-loading guns, 17 standard 303 rifles and two revolvers.

This, incidentally, is the fourth major -- 'major', in terms of number of cadres in the attack, extent of weaponry used and casualties -- PWG attack in the past decade. And serious enough to force Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu to abort a planned trip to Calcutta to address the Confederation of Indian Industry's Partnership Summit and rush to the site along with Home Minister A Madhava Reddy and Director- General of Police H J Dora.

Interestingly, Naidu, who almost immediately after assuming the office of chief minister had in a proclamation indicated that PWG cadres who surrendered would receive an amnesty, said even though the latest attack was despicable, it had not caused him to rethink his offer of leniency. "Even now, it is not too late for them to shun violence and return to the mainstream," the chief minister maintains.

The immediate provocation for this attack -- the biggest in terms of strike force and casulaties inflicted -- was not immediately known, given that the outfit has not made any pronouncements following the incident.

However, senior government and police officials suspect this attack is by way of retaliation against recent police activities in the Telengana region, wherein senior PWG functionaries have been killed in alleged encounters.

As many as seven PWG cadres were killed in 'encounters' during the ten days preceeding the attack, and hence the feeling in official circles is that the PWG was hitting back if only to ensure that the deaths did not impact on the morale of their cadres.

What has further stoked the PWG's fire is the decision by the Naidu government to crack down on the PWG with a hand so heavy as to lead to accusations that Andhra Pradesh had become a police state. The administration had made its intentions clear by launching combing operations in the PWG strongholds of north Telengana. In course of the operations, 72 PWG cadres and 27 policemen have thus far lost their lives.

What is most alarming for the state administration is a recent spate of media reports quoting senior Naxalite leaders to the effect that the PWG, in a bid to tackle the ban, has been setting up guerrilla zones in south Telangana.

The cadres, scattered by the government offensive, are meanwhile believed to be regrouping in Telengana region, forming Peoples's Societies (praja sanghalu) to broaden its base, and putting into motion plans to carry the war to the government.

Police officers have been trying to put a brave face on the recent attack, claiming it is the last gasp of an extremist outfit in danger of total obliteration. Indications, though, are that the PWG remains more or less unaffected by the onslaught by the police and, more, poised and ready to strike back with devastating effect.