With the special force to carry out anti-Maoist operations in the state still remaining on paper, theongoing commando operations in the Western Ghats region following reports of the presence of operatives of the armed Left radical outfits have failed to achieve any major breakthrough yet.
Interestingly, an RTI reply reveals that a sum of `2,24,713 has been spent as fuel charges for the vehicles used by ‘Thunderbolt’ commandos for carrying out the operations till September 30, which commenced in February this year.
According to the officials of India Reserve Battalion, Thrissur, which monitors the ‘Thunderbolt’ commandos, the search operations are underway in northern districts. So far, police have identified Maoist presence in 14 regions coming under the limits of 31 police stations in Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode Rural, Malappuram, Palakkad and Thrissur. However, the members of the commando team could not trace anybody.
As per the reports of the Intelligence, the eight-member Maoist group comprising CPI Maoist leader Roopesh alias Praveen, and his wife Shyna, Shinoj, Vikram Gowda, Mahesh Jayanna aka Mahesh, Sundari, Mundukar Latha alias Mundukkari Latha and Ravi aka Raveendran had reached Payyavur in Kannur in February. Later they moved to Nilambur forests and then to Karinkanni Kattunaykka Colony, Wayanad.
However, the RTI reply said that the state government had not accepted assistance from the Union Government for the search operations in Western Ghats region.Of this Maoist group, five members of the team had conducted many operations including attack on police officers at Dakshina Kannada, Uduppi and other parts of Karnataka. The Karnataka police, which extended assistance for the anti-Maoist operations of Kerala police in bordering districts, had handed over this information to the state’s top officials. Reliable sources with the police said that these regions are under strict surveillance of the Thunderbolt commandos. “The insurgents are well-armed and have good knowledge about the inner forest regions. Without getting a clear picture of the situation, tracking them down is a difficult job,” said an official, who took part in the anti-Maoist combing operations.
Earlier, police recovered medicines including Paracetamol tablets, ORS solution and copies of the pamphlets distributed by the group members, who were reportedly wearing uniforms similar to that of security forces from Karinkanni colony.
The persons introduced themselves as the activists of the Western Ghats Special Zonal committee of CPI Maoist, collected rice, millet, sugar and tea powder from the families, and had food from the colony.
The pamphlets distributed by the gang called on to support the ‘Maoists who are attempting for a new democratic India.’