Maoists to deploy more armed cadre to strengthen Western Ghats presence
KOZHIKODE: Maoists are planning to strengthen their presence in the areas coming under the Western Ghats Special Zonal Committee by redeploying their armed cadre from other parts of the country. Such a strategy is being contemplated in view of the depleting number of cadre of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) after a series of encounter killings, arrests and surrenders, and to counter the intensified efforts from the Kerala Police to get Maoists surrendered, said sources.
The number of members of PLGA — the armed wing of the CPI (Maoist) — has come down to 14 from around 40 in 2015. Over the years, two central committee members, many zonal committee members and cadre from the lower ranks were either killed or arrested.
The Bhavani Dalam (squad) of the Maoists has been completely decimated after the encounter at Manjakkandy in Palakkad in October 2019. Rajan Chittilappalli, who was leading the Urban Bureau, was arrested in December 2020, and Raghavendra, the link between the zonal committee and central committee, was picked up from Kannur on November 6 this year.
Maoist movement in Western Ghats is passing through the worst patch in its history. The resources are dwindling and the morale of its workers has hit rock bottom. To top it all, the police have been vigorously pursuing its surrender-cum-rehabilitation programme.
Observers say the Maoists have the history of redeploying their cadre when they confront adverse situations or as part of certain strategies. Erstwhile CPI-ML (People’s War) had withdrawn their cadre from the North Telangana area after police action was intensified. The cadre were later redeployed to strengthen the movement in the Dandakaranya region.
There was a plan to bring some cadre from other parts of the country when a new guerrilla zone in south India came into being around 2011. It was believed that the presence of experienced cadre could give an impetus to the fledgling movement in the Western Ghats.
Maoists plan to bring in experienced cadre
But that decision could not be implemented due to some logistical problems. Zonal committee member Deepak and his wife Sharmila were the only cadre who were deputed from other guerrilla zones to the Western Ghats. Deepak, who has the experience of working in Chhattisgarh, was roped in to impart training in jungle warfare and use of explosives.
Sharmila returned to her unit in 2018 and Deepak was arrested in Coimbatore in November 2019. Since then, the state military commission of CPI (Maoist) in Western Ghats, which is overseeing the armed activities, is without a head. Sources said the Maoists are planning to bring in some experienced and battle-hardened cadre from Dandakaranya to South India to overcome their present crisis.
Worst phase
- Maoist movement in Western Ghats is passing through the worst patch in its history
- The number of members of People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army —the armed wing of the CPI (Maoist) — has come down to 14 from around 40 in 2015
- Over the years, two central committee members, many zonal committee members and cadre from the lower ranks were either killed or arrested