MANANTHAVADY: The armed group which had ransacked Tamarind Easy Hotel run by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) in Thirunelli the other day, reportedly visited a couple of houses in the vicinity after attacking the resort. According to Sukumarannunni Warrier, a resident of Thirunelli, the gun-wielding persons visited his house around 5 am on January 25 and handed over copies of pro-Maoist newsletters and ‘Kattuthee,’ the mouthpiece of ‘Kabanidalam’, the Communist Party of India (Maoist) wing operating in the Western Ghats region.
One of the group members introduced himself to Warrier as Roopesh alias Praveen. The extremists reportedly told him that they would strongly oppose the ‘resort culture’ in the area as it was being done at the expense of poor farmers and tribal people. Roopesh, who was accused of coordinating the activities of the banned outfit in the state, is in the list of ‘wanted Maoists’ in the state.
The gang also visited the residence of Muraleedharan, the owner of a building under construction in the area. The group, comprising four men and two women, were reportedly wearing uniforms similar to those of security forces. Police officials, however, refused to confirm the reports. Meanwhile, the Thunderbolts and the anti-Naxal squad have intensified their search for the gang in the Thirunelli forests under the Begur Forest Range of the North Wayanad Forest Division.
The attack on Tamarind followed the late-night attack on ‘Agraharam,’ a private resort in Thirunelli in the early hours of November 18.