The Aralam police have registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against an 11-member Maoist gang that staged a demonstration with guns in Keezhpally Vietnam in Aralam grama panchayat.
Nine of the gang members were identified by the Kerala Police’s anti-Maoist force Thunderbolts, which has intensified efforts to identify two others, including a woman, who were said to be part of the gang.
The Aralam police have registered a case against them under the Arms Act and the UAPA for organising demonstrations with weapons and spreading Maoist ideology.
A five-member gang led by C.P. Moidheen, who had arrived in the region earlier, and four others — Andhra native Kavita, Vikramgowda, Manoj, and Suresh — have been identified. To identify the other two members of the gang, the police collected information from shopkeepers and others in Vietnam Town.
Local residents told the police that all the gang members wielded guns, including a machine gun.
The police investigation team believes that there were only nine people in the group. However, they are continuing efforts to identify the two others based on the inputs provided by the local people.
The group reached the town on Friday evening and spent half an hour there and bought materials from a shop belonging to one Abdul Rahman.
Everyone in the group was dressed in raincoats. The group returned after putting up posters, which read that “Aralam farm workers are not slaves, they are the owners of the farm, Aralam farms belong to tribals, and everyone should unite to capture the Aralam farm.” The poster was attributed to CPI Maoist Kabani Area Samiti.
The police have taken these posters seriously. Considering the current crisis on the farm, the investigation team is also looking into the possibility of Maoists infiltrating among the workers. A team, including Thunder Bolt, led by Irrity ASP Taposh Basumatary and Aralam sub-inspector V.V. Sreejesh carried out extensive inspections in the area.
