The police have intensified anti-Maoist operations in Wayanad district, a forest tri-junction bordering Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, following the recurring presence of a Maoist group at Kambamala.
A five-member armed militant group had entered a lane inside the tea estate of the Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) a few days ago and reportedly destroyed a surveillance camera installed by the police to monitor the movements of the proscribed militant group. The police had installed the camera a week ago after a six-member team of militants vandalised the KFDC office at Kambamala. The group had also visited two houses at Poyil, near Kambamala, the day after the attack and collected rice, sugar and tea powder from the residents.
The tea estate, bordering the Kottiyoor and Periya forest ranges in Wayanad and Kannur districts respectively, was established in the 1970s to rehabilitate repatriates from Sri Lanka. More than 200 families are staying on the estate. “We have devised a three-pronged strategy to tackle the threat of the Maoists in the area,” District Police Chief Padam Singh told The Hindu.
Combing operations with helicopter and unmanned aerial vehicles were taken up in the area on Monday to monitor the movements of the militants, Mr. Singh said. Search operations with the assistance of Thunderbolt, the elite commando group of the State Police force, and their counterparts in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu would also be intensified, he said.
Patrolling and vehicle checking was also being strengthened in the district, he added. Prior to the operations, a group of senior forest officials, including special operations DIG Putta Vimaladithya and DIG (Kannur range ) Thomson Jose and Mr. Singh held a meeting at Mananthavady on Monday day to assess the situation.
