NILAMBUR: Close on the heels of the video propaganda by CPM (Maoist) leader Roopesh through the media, warning of an armed struggle, the Maoist group functioning in the state is strengthening its presence through local recruitment.
Police doubt that the Maoist group has recruited around 50 persons recently and most of them are from various places in Malabar.
Intelligence sources have got information that the Maoist organisation here has brought clothes to stitch around 50 more uniforms for the armed group. Police believe that the new uniforms are for the members of the newly-formed Maoist wings, known as ‘Dhalam’, based at Nilambur and Attappadi. Police suspect that Maoist leader Sinoj died during the training in bomb-making for the newly recruited members. “Maoists usually form a ‘Dhalam’ with 11-15 members. So we can reach the assumption that they have recruited fighters numbering 30 to form two more wings in the state, apart from the one, ‘Kabani Dhalam’, which is already functioning in Wayanad. The Intelligence officials have got information that the total recruitment will be around 50.
The shocking fact is that they have been recruited locally from various parts of Malabar,” sources in the Special Task Force (STF) engaged in anti-Maoist operation in the state said on condition of anonymity. ‘Bhavani Dhalam’ and ‘Nadukani Dhalam’ are the two more wings formed by Maoists. ‘Bhavani Dhalam’ functions based at Attappadi region in the Silent Valley buffer zone area. ‘Nadukani Dhalam’ functions in centres in the Nilambur forest region. “We are checking the information gathered about the two more wings of Maoists in the state. The STF is looking at all the aspects about these wings,” Putta Vimaladitya, Wayanad Police Chief and who is leading the anti-terror squad on the ground, said.
Police have also got information that the extremist groups are getting outside support for their activities in the state. The Intelligence sources have also got information that the Maoists are concentrating on a few tribal colonies in the state, where they believe that they can influence the tribal people.