KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over from police the probe into the shootout that took place between four CPI (Maoist) members and the Kerala Police at Chapparam Colony near Periya in Wayanad last November. The agency has filed the re-registered FIR before the NIA Court in Kochi. The NIA recently moved court seeking custody of arrested CPI (Maoist) members Chandru of Tamil Nadu and Unnimaya of Karnataka. The court has ordered to them on April 16.
Sources said the NIA took over the case following the directives of the Ministry of Home Affairs considering the involvement of the Maoist group which was into armed activities in the Kerala forests.
“The Kerala Police had apprised the Ministry of Home Affairs of the shootout and the Maoists’ arrest soon after the incident. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was also invoked in the case,” said one of the sources.
The NIA believes the interrogation of the arrested persons will shed more light on the other members active in Kerala. Chandru is a senior operative of Maoist Banasura Dalam active in Kannur and Wayanad.
“Chandru and Unnimaya are wanted in other cases too. Their interrogation will be vital in uncovering Maoist activities in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka forests. Besides, lookout notices will be issued for two others, Sundari and Latha, who managed to escape after a gunfight with Thunderbolt commandos,” said a source
The shootout took place on November 7, after a four-member armed Maoist group reached the house of Aneesh at Chaparam Colony in Periya.
Fifth case
This will be the fifth case linked to Maoist groups that is probed by the NIA in Kerala. The 2013 Mavelikkara Maoist case, the 2016 Vellamunda Maoist case, the 2019 Pantheerankavu Maoist case, and the 2021 Nilambur Maoist case are the others