The peace talks between the Naxalites and Andhra Pradesh government is in danger of breaking down following the death of six Maoists in shoot-outs with the police in two districts in the state.
The police have sounded a red alert all over the state after the killings, which, they claimed, were in self-defence.
While three Maoists were killed in Prakasam district, three others were shot dead in Mahbubnagar.
Reacting to the incidents, Communist Party of India (Maoist) state secretary Ramakrishna, in a letter, a copy of which was released to the press in Hyderabad, said the killings have made the possibility of the peace talks continuing very remote.
He blamed the state government for trying to scuttle the peace atmosphere. The recent incidents prove that it is impossible to resolve the burning problems of the people through peaceful methods of dialogue, Ramakrishna said.
"We will retaliate the armed action of the police with arms itself," he said.
The Naxal leader appealed to all 'supporters of democracy' to strengthen the hands of the movement as in the present atmosphere it was futile to wait for negotiations to solve the peoples problems.
The Naxalites and the state government have been observing a ceasefire in the state for some months now. The first round of peace talks was held last October.
Giving details of the Prakasam district incident, Superintendent of Police Mahesh Chandra Ludda said Naxalites opened fire on a police party, which was on its way to Peddachima village from Chintala village after receiving information that Maoists were moving about in the area.
"Our personnel warned them not to fire and to surrender. Instead, they continued firing. Our police party fired in self-defence. The exchange of fire continued for 15 minutes. Some Naxalites fled the scene. The police party found the bodies of three Naxalites - one female and two males - after the firing ceased. Five weapons and five kitbags and a claymore mine were recovered from the site," the SP told rediff.com over phone.
The incident, near Chintala in Dornala mandal, occurred between 1300 IST and 1400 IST, he said.
The second incident occurred between 1400 IST and 1430 IST at Bukkalingayapalli village, under Siddapur police limits, in Mahbubnagar district.
Superintendent of Police Vikram Singh Mann said a police party was on its way to the village to inquire into reports of extortions by the Maoists.
On seeing the police party, the Naxalites started firing on it and the police returned fire. In the exchange, three Maoists, including a woman, were killed, he told rediff.com over phone.
The police are yet to establish the identity of the six slain Naxalites. But they are suspected to be members of the local armed squad (dalam) of the Communist Party of India [Maoist].
Earlier, on Friday night, Naxalites belonging to CPI [Marxist-Leninist] [Janashakti group] shot dead the Congress sarpanch of Rudrangi village in Chandurthi mandal in Karimnagar district.
Armed Naxalites barged into the house of Ganga Raj Lingaiah and forcibly took him to the village outskirts. Later, they pumped three bullets into him, killing him on the spot.
The Janashakti Naxalites, in a leaflet left behind at the spot, claimed that the killing was in retaliation for the killing of their comrade in a 'fake encounter' by the police in Warangal district a few days ago.
They warned they would kill 100 persons for every Naxalite killed in fake counters and declared that they would target Congress leaders with landmines.
With PTI inputs