Six TRS leaders 'detained' by Maoists released

Six local leaders of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) from Khammam district of the state, who were 'detained' by Maoists in the neighbouring Chhattisgarh state were released today, police said. "All six of them were released today and they safely reached their homes," Bhadrachalam Sub-Division Additional Superintendent of Police R Bhaskaran told PTI over phone. TRS Bhadrachalam constituency in-charge M Ramakrishna and five others, who had gone to Pusuguppa village in Charla mandal of Khammam district on Wednesday evening, a village located on the border and 5 kms from Chhattisgarh, were called for a meeting by the Maoists and had been detained since then. Police received information that the six people were called by the Ultras for a discussion on some issues and they were kept in custody of the Maoists," Khammam Superintendent of Police Shahnawaz Qasim had earlier said adding that, "It cannot be termed as abduction or holding hostage." A letter in the name of CPI (Maoist) had "mentioned that six people have come to us and we are discussing with them." In the letter, the ultras accused the Telangana government of carrying out anti-people work and termed the killing of two persons (Maoists) in an exchange of fire with the police in Warangal district in September as "fake" encounters. They also sought stopping of combing operations. Last month, three local leaders of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) were allegedly held captive by Maoists in Visakhapatnam. They were released after a few days.