For over a month, a tense standoff had gripped the region, ignited by the attack on the Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) office in Kambamala, near Thalappuzha, Wayanad, on September 28. This prolonged confrontation culminated in a crucial moment when police apprehended two Maoist insurgents with a relatively low level of violence.
According to sources, a brief exchange of gunfire occurred when the police surrounded a farmer’s house in Periya, near Thalappuzha, where the Maoists had sought refuge. However, realizing the superior force arrayed against them, the Maoists opted to surrender without further bloodshed.
The operation unfolded as a joint effort involving Thunderbolt commandos and the Special Operation Group (SOG). The Maoists, a group of five, were found enjoying a meal when the police closed in. Strict instructions were given to minimize casualties. Valuable intelligence was provided by a recently arrested Maoist informer from Kozhikode district.
High-ranking police officials, including DIG (Special Operations) Putta Vimaladitya and DIG (Kannur Range) Thomson Jose, were deeply invested in the hunt for the Maoists. District Police Chief Padam Singh frequently visited the region late at night to oversee ongoing operations in the forested interiors, attempting to locate the Maoist camp within the jungle. The police even utilized helicopters and drones for surveillance.
Further intensifying the pressure on the police, 168 workers from the Kambamala tea plantation division under KFDC had recently gone on strike, demanding protection from the armed Maoists.
An anonymous official revealed, “Police heaved a sigh of relief on Tuesday night when two of the Maoists were finally apprehended by the Thunderbolt officers. As we had failed to track them even after spotting them many times at different places, we were desperate to catch them.”
The commandos continue combing operations based on information provided by the captured Maoist cadres, Unnimaya and Chandru. DIG Thomson Jose will join in the interrogation process. The farmer’s house, the site of the Maoist’s capture, remains under tight security.
Notably, the police faced criticism over the past for the fatal encounters with Maoist leaders. Two Maoist leaders, Kuppu Devaraj and Ajitha, were killed in a shootout in the Karulayi forests near Nilambur, Malappuram district, in November 2017. In a separate incident on March 7, 2019, CP Jaleel, a newly recruited Maoist cadre, was killed on the premises of a resort in Vythiri, Wayanad.
Post Your Comments