Two locals in Andhra's Visakhapatnam Agency area were killed on Friday, allegedly by Maoists, after the armed group accused the duo of being police informers.
The incident took place on Friday night near Maddigaruvu village, under the jurisdiction of G Madugula police station. The victims have been identified as 22-year-old M Kishore, and 26-year-old K Sury Chandra Babu alias Suryam.
Speaking to PTI, Inspector Vijay Kumar of G Madugula Police station said that a group of around 60 Maoists led by Pedabayalu area committee commander Sudheer, entered the area at around 11:30pm and picked up the duo from their homes.
The outlaws dragged the men out, even as their family pleaded that it may have been a case of mistaken identity and the men were innocent, police said.
"The two were then shot at on Chapagedda bridge. Suryam is the owner of a music and photocopy shop and is survived by his wife and two children. The other deceased Kishore is an unmarried agricultural labourer," the police official told PTI.
A case has been registered, and further investigation is ongoing.
Last week, a landmine blast was allegedly triggered by Maoists near the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha Border (AOB), close to Jakkam village.
The Naxals fired upon the police personnel, who retaliated and made the Maoists flee into the forest, Visakhapatnam Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Sharma told reporters.
The latest incident took place on the concluding day of the annual People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) week, which began from December 2.
According to reports, during the PLGA, the Maoists attempt to regroup, hold public meetings, take up recruitment drives and also try to destroy government property or target security personnel.
Since the last week of November, Maoists have struck on several occasions and killed at least five civilians suspecting them to be police spies. They also gunned down two security personnel.