THRISSUR: The police have sounded a high alert in the district in the wake of the exchange of fire between police commandos and suspected Maoists in a forest settlement in Wayanad district on Sunday. Since the police suspect a 15-member gang led by Maoist leader Roopesh, who hails from Vadanappilly in Thrissur, carried out the attack on a platoon of Thunderbolts Kerala, security has been tightened at vital establishments and police stations close to forest and coastal areas where Maoists sympathisers have a strong presence.
Thrissur rural SP N Vijayakumar told ‘Express’ that the forces were asked to keep a close watch on the movements of suspicious persons, particularly on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border places like Malakkappara and Athirappilly where the peripheral patrolling has been intensified. Besides, security has been strengthened at Varanadarappilly, and Vellikulangara police stations apart from coastal regions like Vadanappilly, Thalikulam and Valappad from where the Swiss national, Jonathan Baud, was arrested for attending a memorial meet of a Maoist activist, who was killed in Andhra Pradesh a few months ago while making bomb.
The police have also augmented the security cover of the Paliyekkara Toll Plaza on NH 47 in Thrissur and Nitta Gelatine India Ltd Company, Chalakkudy, as there has been intelligence report that the Maoists or its frontal organisations may target the toll plaza or other vital establishments, as part of its 10th anniversary of the organisation in the state.
Following the threat perception, the police have provided additional armed guard to toll plaza and NGIL company, besides the customary security alert in all police stations. All vehicles coming from the neighbouring states will also be subjected to strict check up at boarder points, he said. As per the intelligence report, toll plaza and other vital establishments that become a centre of public protests in the recent past were figured in their hit-list.