KOCHI: The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Thursday arrested a member of a Maoist group from Ernakulam South Railway Station.
The arrested person is Manoj, 26, alias Ashiq Ernakulam, a native of Viyyur in Thrissur who was active in the forests of Wayanad.
Manoj has been missing since February 2023 when he was doing research in the Philosophy Department at Kerala University Kariavattom campus.
Following a complaint filed by Manoj's mother at Viyyur police station, the police first registered a missing case. Later, as Manoj was found missing from Karyavattom, the case was transferred to Kazhakootam police station.
Considering his links with Maoist groups active in Wayanad forests, ATS took over the probe.
Manoj maintained close links with top leaders of CPI (Maoist) and the People's Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA).Manoj maintained close links with top leaders of CPI (Maoist) and the People's Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA). He was spotted by people living at forest fringes on multiple occasions. He was part of the Maoist Kabani Dhalam active in the Wayanad forest. He will be produced before the court on Friday.
Before joining the philosophy department at Karyavattom in 2018, Manoj did his graduation at Kozhikode Government Engineering College where he was active in campus politics. However, he did not continue the activities in campus politics at the Karyavattom campus. He stayed in a rented room outside the campus and did part-time jobs.
In May this year, ATS grilled Wayanad native and Pantheerankavu Maoist case accused Vijith Vijayan regarding the disappearance of Manoj. Vijith and Manoj both worked together in campus politics while studying at Kozhikode Government Engineering College.
"We had information that Manoj came to Kochi to meet his friend. Following a surveillance operation, we nabbed him from Ernakulam South Railway Station where he reached to board a train after meeting his friend. According to him, he was in Wayanad before coming to Kochi. However, we have to interrogate him further to verify the information," a source said.
ATS is also tracing the persons whom Manoj met in Kochi. Manoj told the police officials that he met his friends staying at a flat in Kakkanad to seek financial help from him.
After the arrest, ATS shifted Manoj to its office in Nedumbassery where he is being interrogated by the officers. There are around 14 Maoist-related cases registered against Manoj in the Wayanad and Kannur districts.