The Communist Party of India-Maoist and Communist Party of India-ML Janashakti on Monday evening announced they were pulling out of peace talks with the Andhra Pradesh government following the "repression let loose by the state police."

In a statement issued to the media hours after the state cabinet decided to continue the peace talks and asked the Maoists not to carry weapons into the villages, CPI-Maoist state secretary Ramakrishna and CPI-ML Janashakti state secretary Amar said that since the state government had unleashed the Greyhounds (special anti-extremist commandos) to conduct combing operations and encounters against the Maoists, it had become untenable to participate in the second round of peace talks.

Earlier report: Killings endanger AP govt-Naxal talks

Accusing the Y S Rajasekhara Reddy-led government of sabotaging the peace talks after holding the first round in October last year, the Maoist leaders said that the ruling Congress party had reneged on its promise to have the peace dialogue to find effective solutions to the problems of the people. 

The Maoist leaders said that as many as 11 naxalites were killed in encounters in recent days. The Greyhounds had embarked on combing operations in various districts in flagrant violation of the ceasefire.