GRP police open fire on suspected robbers near Nidubrolu railway station

Vijayawada: Tension prevailed in Guntur district in the early hours of Tuesday after govt railway police (GRP) personnel opened fire on suspected robbers, who allegedly attacked officers during a late-night inspection near Nidubrolu railway station in Ponnur mandal of Guntur district.According to railway police officials, the incident occurred around 3 am on Tuesday near the Aluru gate area when a GRP patrol team noticed two men behaving suspiciously along the railway track. The team, led by the Narasaraopet railway police sub-inspector, along with two constables, was conducting intensified night patrols following a rise in incidents of railway signal tampering and robberies in the Guntur and Vijayawada railway divisions.Police said the suspects were carrying wire-cutting equipment, raising suspicion that they were planning to damage railway signalling systems or commit theft. When officers attempted to apprehend them, the duo allegedly turned aggressive and began pelting stones at the police team.In response, the GRP personnel opened fire to disperse the attackers and prevent them from escaping. GRP DSP Akkeswara Rao stated that police fired a total of 10 rounds during the operation. Despite the firing, the suspects managed to flee into nearby agricultural fields under the cover of darkness.Following the incident, the GRP alerted the local police. Teams from Ponnur police station rushed to the spot and launched a massive search operation in the surrounding villages and fields to trace the absconding suspects.During the inspection of the scene, police seized several items allegedly left behind by the accused, including a wire cutter, a tester and a pair of gouges. Officials suspect the gang may be linked to recent railway-related thefts and sabotage attempts reported in the region. Investigation is underway.