Vizag: Andhra University professor arrested for Naxal links

The Visakhapatnam rural police have arrested an associate professor of Telugu at the Andhra University here and three others on the charge of supplying explosive materials to the Maoists.

J Appa Rao, the varsity teacher, was arrested late last night here, said superintendent of police Koyya Praveen and additional superintendent of police Vishal Gunni today. Rao played a role in giving logistical support to the rebels, including procurement of detonators and ammonium nitrate, they said.

The other three were identified as V Prasad (34), G Subbaraju (32) and K Jagadeesh Reddy. All the four were produced before the media today.

Narsipatnam police intercepted a car yesterday and seized 500 electrical detonators, 100 ordinary detonators, 300 kg of ammonium nitrate and mobile phones while arresting V Prasad and G Subbaraju.

Their interrogation led to the arrest of professor Rao here and K Jagadeesh Reddy in Kakinada last night. According to police, they procured the explosive materials from Kathipadu in the East Godavari district.

Rao (38) belongs to a tribal community and is a native of Korrapalle area under G Madugula mandal. He has been working at Andhra University since 2007.