Security forces were placed on alert in many zones along the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border after the Communist Party of India (Maoist) called for a 24-hour shutdown on Thursday to protest the Malkangiri encounter, The News Minute reported. The banned outfit called for the shutdown in five states, including Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Telangana.

Andhra Pradesh Director-General of Police NS Rao directed officials to increase security, including in Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam and Vijayanagaram. Elite units like the anti-Maoist Greyhounds were also pressed into service, with search and combing operations being conducted by security personnel as well. Police in Telangana increased security in districts bordering Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.

The Andhra Pradesh police on Wednesday told the Hyderabad High Court that their forces were forced to “fire in self-defence” during the Malkangiri encounter, in which 27 Maoists were killed on October 24. Responding to a public interest litigation filed by the Civil Liberties Committee, the police told the court that the Maoists opened fire first and did not respond to calls for surrender, PTI reported.

Visakhapatnam Rural District Superintendent of Police RD Sharma told the court that security forces had not “violated the law”, adding that the encounter took place in Odisha. Sharma called for the dismissal of the PIL, saying it was “twisting the facts” of the case. Investigators said the encounter resulted in the deaths of a few senior leaders of the group. However, the families of those killed have alleged the encounter was fake and have demanded an inquiry into it.