SALEM: Hospitals in several districts bordering Kerala and areas close to Western ghats in the state have been brought under surveillance after an alleged gun battle on Sunday between Maoists and Kerala police in Wayanad district of that state, said West Zone Inspector General of Police (IG) K Shankar here on Monday.
The IG after conducting an inspection in Salem DIG range told media persons that the State police have received reports about the gun fight allegedly between Maoists and Kerala police near the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border. There were also unconfirmed reports that some Maoists were injured in the encounter. So in a bid to check the infiltration of the injured Naxals and their colleagues, additional check posts have been set up in Thalavadi and Devaram in Erode district. Likewise the police were also conducting patrols in border areas.
“So, there are no chances for Maoists to sneak into Tamil Nadu,” the top police officer said.
“Similarly, cops are also searching and monitoring government and private hospitals and lodges in border areas, especially in Ooty. Police are taking all steps to prevent the intrusion of Maoists into Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, the state police have heightened vigil in the forest areas of the Nilgiris district bordering Kerala and TN to prevent infiltration of Maoists from the neighbouring state in the wake of exchange of fire between ultras and police in Kerala’s Wayanad district.
Search operations by a team, led by the Nilgiris SP Senthil Kumar, with sophisticated weapons were under way in the district forest areas, police said. Additional checkposts with deployment of more forces have been set up at sensitive points along the border, police said.