THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said that the shootout at Manjikandy forest area in Attappadi, Palakkad, on Monday leading to the death of four Maoists seemed to be a fake encounter. He was speaking to media persons at the legislative assembly complex on Tuesday. Chennithala had earlier raised the same allegation in the house.
He said he was also the home minister of the state before and was in the know of things during his tenure. He said since the LDF government assumed office in May 2016, this was the seventh Maoist who was killed in police action, adding that and said that without political clearance, no police officer would order such a shootout.
“I was also the home minister of the state and Maoist leaders Roopesh and Shiny were then taken into custody from Coimbatore in coordination with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Police. In this case, the police should have cordoned them off and taken them into custody. This shootout is totally wrong and cannot be allowed,” he said.
He also said Naxalite leaders of yesteryears like K Ajitha, Philip M Prasad and others were leading a normal life after facing trials. He said that there were several Maoists who wanted to surrender before the law of the land and the government of the day has to allow them to face the legal system.