The state is risking the lives of police personnel engaged in anti-Maoist operations in different parts of Malabar as a shoot-at-sight order is not yet issued by the government. Thunderbolt commandos are combing the forest area with arms that cannot be used to fire if they are fired at.
It is learnt that the government is reluctant to issue a shoot-at-sight order following the fate of former IG K Lakshmana, who served a jail term for murdering Naxalite leader A Varghese in 1970.
The government also fears the reaction of human rights organisations if the anti-Maoist force shoots down a suspect.
“We have not yet received a shoot-at-sight order from the government. Anti-Maoist operation in the state is being carried out at present without such an order,” Putta Vimaladithya, Wayanad District Police Chief, who is also leading the anti-terror operations in the state, told ‘Express’.
Sources with the anti-Maoist force pointed out an incident to prove their limitations.
The combing team in Wayanad had sighted a suspected armed gang only 20 metres away. Anti-Maoist force deflected an encounter by shooting to the sky instead of shooting at the gang.
“The members in the anti-Maoist force are haunted by the fate of IG Lakshmana. They know the consequences if they shoot a suspected person without the firing order even in an emergency situation. Maoists are also aware that the Kerala Police is toothless and the extremists are exploiting the situation,” sources in the anti-Maoist squad revealed.
The Special Task Force (STF), which was formed to hunt down Veerappan, is currently operating as the anti-Maoist force in Tamil Nadu.
They had received firing order in 2004 to finish off the gang of Veerappan and they are enjoying those powers in the anti-Maoist operation too. Other states such as Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are also giving all the freedom to the forces leading anti-Maoist operations. Kerala is the only exception in South India and the three other states have reportedly expressed their disappointment over the matter in a joint meeting.
Police have got information that Maoists are concentrating in Kerala, exploiting the helplessness of the Kerala Police. They have understood that Kerala is the safest place at present for their functioning. It may also lead to the infiltration of more Maoists to the Kerala forest region, sources said.