COIMBATORE: A day after a suspected Maoist arms trainer -- Deepak alias Chandru -- was detained in the forests of Coimbatore by Tamil Nadu Special Task Force, police seized a substantial amount of arms and explosives from him. He has been booked under sections of UAPA Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Explosive Substances Act.
The STF submitted the arms and explosives, a single barrel breech-loading (SBBL) gun, four Rex 90 explosives, a role of black wire, a lead-acid battery, a red cordex wire (commonly used for triggering an explosive), 100 grams of steel bearing balls, cello tape, 16 bullets, four detonator electrical, they seized, to the Police department for an investigation.
Pamphlets belonging to CPI Maoist’s Dandakaranya Special Zone Committee, Central Regional Bureau and Central Committee, a message from an international meeting organised by ICPSWI, and a news bulletin of Kattuthee-PLGA, were reportedly found in his bag. Manuscripts in Hindi, a photo from one of his arms training sessions, clothes and Rs 20,000 cash were also seized from him, said an official.
The man, hailing from Chhattisgarh and suspected to be a frontline organiser of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), has been admitted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for treatment (CMCH).
Sources said that he would be remanded soon after he is discharged from the hospital. Then, he would be taken in custody for further investigation. Deputy Superintendent of Police (Periyanaickenpalayam) Mani has been assigned to the case. Coimbatore Rural Police booked the suspect under section 121 (a) (conspiracy to commit offences) of the Indian Penal Code, sections 16 (punishment for terrorist), 18 (punishment for conspiracy) and 20 (punishment for being a member of a terrorist gang or organisation) of The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, section 25 (1A) of The Arms Act, and sections 4 (a) (punishment for attempt to cause an explosion or for making or keeping explosive with intent to endanger life or property) of Explosive substances Act.
A hunt is on for the two Maoists on the run. Given that they found women’s clothes during the seizure, the police suspect that one of the cadre could be a woman.“They may try to enter Kerala or Tamil Nadu through the tribal hamlets. Hence, we have alerted Kerala police and deployed two STF team (consisting of seven armed persons) and two Naxal Special division (NSD) teams in the region.
Similarly, in the North and Athikkadavu regions of Coimbatore, and the Kinnakorai and Upper Bavani regions of The Nilgiris, have been equipped with 10 STF and NSD teams,” said STF Superintendent (Sathyamangalam)Pa Moorthy.