Reiterating that there were no internal squabbles in the party, the Communist Party of India (Maoist) on Saturday alleged that the police were spreading propaganda that bickering in the party had led to the July 31 encounter in which the outfit's state committee secretary Madhav and seven other cadres were killed in Nallamala forests.

The Naxals have given a call for an Andhra Pradesh bandh on July 31 in protest against the police encounter. Maoist spokesman Janardhan and central committee representative Azad, in a statement to the media, urged the people to observe a day's bandh in the state to condemn the Nallamala encounter and to pay homage to Madhav and other 'martyrs.'

The Naxals alleged that Madhav and other cadres were shot dead by the police in Yerragondapalem in Prakasam district while they were asleep. Madhav had been unanimously elected as the secretary of the state committee last year, they added.

They said the CPI-Maoist central committee paid tributes to the leaders who had laid down their lives fighting the oppressive feudal system. While sharing the grief of the families of 'martyrs,' the Maoists warned the police and the political leaders that they would have to pay a heavy price for the brutal killing their cadre.