Maoists claim comrades poisoned

HYDERABAD — The outlawed CPI-Maoists have given a call for a strike in Andhra Pradesh and Chattisgarh on March 26 to protest against the killings of 17 of its members by police on the border of the two states.

The armed organisation has also vowed to take revenge of the killings. The CPI-Maoist central committee member Janardhan in a statement claimed the 17 were not killed in an encounter but were poisoned.

“The food which was sent was poisoned by the police,’’ he said.

“We will definitely take revenge for these killings.’’

The rebels had also made such allegations against the police in March 2005