The Government of Andhra Pradesh (AP) has commenced peace negotiations with two Naxalite groups––the Janasakthi and Communist Party of India-Maoist [CPI-Maoist]. The latter is an amalgam of the People’s War Group and the Maoist Communist Center of India which had merged on 21 September 2004, the announcement of which was deferred till 14 October, a few hours before the first phase of negotiations commenced.

Since the time the peace process commenced nearly six months ago, the Naxalites and the government have been observing cessation of armed hostilities without signing a formal agreement. Resultantly, the Naxalites have been able to roam about freely with arms, indulge in extortion and occupy lands This has the potential to impede the peace process itself

The vernacular Telugu media reported on 20 November 2004 that an exchange of fire had occurred in Pedagapalli––Azamnagar forests, Mahamuttaram area, Karimnagar district, an area where the movement of the Janasakthi Naxalites was reported. It was, however, not clear if the exchange of fire was between two Naxal groups or between the police and the Naxalites.

On 31 October, a police constable was killed in a shootout with the Naxalites in Kamalapurm, a village in Eturnagaram tribal area, Warangal district. Later, according to a media report of 3 November, ‘Bhupathy’, the local commander of a lesser known Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist (Pratighatana), disclosed that the constable was hit by a bullet from his weapon. The incident occurred when police rushed to the spot upon hearing that the Pratighatana rebels were holding captive the local leader of the Communist Party of United States of India (CPUSI), another little known Naxalite group, to settle scores as part of their ‘turf war’ over Indian Rayon’s Limited.

The Rayon factory is a milch cow for Naxalite groups. Tinier groups like Pratighatana and CPUSI have reportedly been demanding and securing two and half to three million rupees each, annually, from the factory owners. The CPI-Maoist, a senior police officer told this researcher in 2002, extorts ten million annually from the same factory.

Besides, there have been a number of reports in the mainstream English media and the vernacular Telugu media that the CPI-Maoist has been fearlessly indulging in extortion from various sections of the society since the peace process commenced and its proscription under the Prevention of Terrorism Act lapsed on 21 July. A media report of 3 November indicated that CPI-Maoist cadres had directed owners of petrol filling stations in Raychoti area, Rayalaseema region of AP, to supply 2000 litres of fuel each to vehicles that were deployed to carry Naxalite supporters to the Guttikonda Bilam meeting of 11 October which was addressed by CPI-Maoist and Janasakthi leaders. Also, local-level political leaders of Raychoti were asked to provide transport to ferry Naxal supporters for the inaugural of martyrs’ memorials in Cuddapah district. Further, the Naxalites have been extorting from various sections of the societyâ€â€