Thunderbolt team begins hunt for Maoists in Western Ghats

A 30-member Thunderbolt commando team of the state police, which reached Thrissur on Sunday, took out massive combing operations at Vellikulangara and Pariyaram forest ranges in search of suspected Maoists on Monday.

The operations were carried out with the assistance of the local police and Forest officials following the intelligence reports about possible Maoist presence in the Western Ghats.

Though the team could not find anything amiss in the forest during the operation, the Forest officials and police personnel have asked the Tribals in the forest to inform them if they find any unfamiliar people in their locality.

“The forest guards, along with a 30-member team of the Kerala Thunderbolts, an elite group of commandos specially trained for tackling possible terror strikes in the state, carried out search operations at Choolakadavu, Mullapana, Koramala, Karikkadavu and Anapandam forest areas,” said K Abdul Rasaqu, Deputy Range Officer, Pariyram Forest Range.  “No evidence could be traced about the suspected militant movement in the area. But, we used the occasion to sensitise the Tribals living in the fringe areas about the looming threat,” K Abdul Rasaqu said.

“The search operations concluded around 2.30 pm. However, the team will continue the search operation in Varanadarapilly and Athirappilly forest ranges on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively,” said A Sumesh, Kodakara Circle Inspector, who took part in the operation.

A week ago, some media houses had received a letter undersigned by suspected Maoist leader Jogi, spoke person of the Western Ghats special zonal committee of CPI (Maoist), declaring that the Maoists have formed guerrilla squads in the Western Ghat areas in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka states and have started training camps and operations.

In the letter, they also urged the oppressed people to join guerrilla squads with them in order to create a new democratic India after waging war against the semi-feudal structures and invasive forces in society.

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