Published Nov 15, 2023 | 12:55 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 15, 2023 | 12:55 PM
Thunderbolt squad of the Kerala police. (Wikimedia)
Specialised teams of the Kerala police are combing a forest area in Kannur for suspected Maoists after a 48-hour gun battle with the ultras on Tuesday, 14 November.
ATS Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Putta Vimaladitya confirmed an exchange of fire between the Thunderbolt squad of the police and a group of Maoists late on the night of Monday, 13 November, with no reported casualties.
The ultras, numbering eight, managed to flee the scene, he said. Subsequent to the gunfire, the police conducted a search in the area, uncovering two camp sheds believed to belong to the Maoists.
Bloodstains were also discovered, suggesting that the Maoists might have been injured during the exchange, police sources said on Monday.
Vimaladitya on Tuesday said no casualties or arrests were reported but noted that one of the Maoists was believed to have sustained injuries during the Monday morning’s firings as blood stains were found in the area.
Weapons were also recovered from the area, he said.
Hospitals in the vicinity have been placed under police surveillance, even as the search for the escaped Maoists continued into the night.
This followed a fierce gun battle between the state police and the ultras in the Njettithodi area of the Uruppumkutty forest under the jurisdiction of the Karikkottakari police station on the morning of Monday.
After the encounter, the Maoists retreated into the forest.
“During our search yesterday (Monday) night, we observed the presence of Maoists in this area around 10 pm. They initiated firing against us, and subsequently, we also returned fire. As of now, there have been no reported casualties, and no one is in police custody,” Vimaladitya told reporters on Tuesday.
The Karikottakari police have registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Top police officials are currently stationed at Iritty, close to the area. The latest incidents followed an exchange of fire between the Thunderbolt force and Maoists in a forest area in Wayanad the previous week.
Two Maoists—a man and a woman— were arrested after a gun battle in the Periya area under the Thalappuzha police station limit in Wayanad. They were identified as Chandru and Unnimaya.
The incident occurred when a group of Maoists, reportedly five in number, sought shelter in a house to charge their mobile phones, police sources said.
During the operation, three members of the group managed to escape, they said.
The apprehended Maoists were taken to a police camp nearby for questioning, the sources added.
Last month, a group of six armed Maoists seized control of a private resort in Makkimala, Wayanad. During the incident, they confiscated the manager’s mobile phone to convey a statement to the media, shedding light on the challenges faced by estate workers.
In response, the police had registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Arms Act.
(With PTI inputs)
