Kerala Timeline 2015

Date

Incidents

The Centre has issued fresh warnings of a possible direct assault on government institutions by the CPI-Maoist in Kerala..

A stone crusher unit at Nedumpoyil in Kannur District of Kerala was attacked by CPI-Maoist cadres. Police and residents said New Bharath Stone Crusher which is close to the Chekkeri Kurichya colony near 24th Mile was vandalised and set afire by a gang of five around 2.30 am after they threatened employees at gunpoint. The tribal community had complained against this unit many times.

A group of Maoists vandalised and ransacked a government office in Kannur District of Kerala. They first tied up security personnel and vandalised the office. The group left after taking away the CCTV cameras and raising pro-Maoist slogans.

The Kurichya Munnetta Samiti, an organisation representing the Kurichya Adivasi (tribal) community, denied that residents of some tribal colonies have connections with the Maoists.

The Kerala Forest Protective Staff Association has expressed concern about the safety of forest guards in the light of Maoist attacks on forest outposts in Wayanad and sought protection for the officials.

Handbills issued by alleged CPI-Maoist cadres at Thalassery in Kannur District defended the attack on a stone-crusher unit at Nedumpoil in the same District on January 2. The handbills issued in the name of "CPI (Maoist) Western Ghats Special Zonal Committee" were found in the press boxes of media at the Press Forum at Thalassery and a few other places.

In a bid to fight the CPI-Maoist menace, tribal people will be recruited directly to the Police force, Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has said.

In view of increasing extremist threats in the State, the city Police have decided to create a visual database of possible suspects by recording public events and demonstrations held in Kochi using video and still cameras.

Kerala Forest Protective Staff Association has urged the State Government to take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of forest rangers and other officials against the backdrop of reports confirming CPI-Maoist presence in the State.

Kerala Congress (M) leader and Government Chief Whip PC George while speaking to media persons in Thrissur District said that the State Government should end its CPI-Maoist hunt.

The District Court at Palakkad directed the prosecution to submit solid documents or findings, if any, by January 20 to substantiate the police charge against two college students that they formed part of a Maoist outfit. The students were arrested on charges of attacking outlets of KFC and McDonald's in Palakkad in the last week of December.

Murali Kannamballi, the Naxalite leader who initiated many students of the erstwhile Regional Engineering College Kozhikode into the left wing extremist movement in mid 1970, has emerged as the tallest Maoist leader from the state.

Wary of CPI-Maoist influence among tribals, the Kerala State Government is planning to distribute food kits, each worth INR 100, in vulnerable tribal colonies every day across the state from February under the assumption that only hungry bellies could be swayed by revolutionary ideas.

A budget hotel owned by a government undertaking in Wayanad District of Kerala was attacked allegedly by CPI-Maoist cadres. The reception counter and restaurant of Tamarind Easy Hotel, at Thirunelli, owned by KTDC, was vandalized by a six-member gang. They left posters protesting against India visit of US President Barack Obama.

The armed Maoist group which had ransacked Tamarind Easy Hotel run by the KTDC in Thirunelli in Wayanad District of Kerala, reportedly visited a couple of houses in the vicinity after attacking the resort. According to Sukumarannunni Warrier, a resident of Thirunelli, the gun-wielding persons visited his house and handed over copies of pro-CPI-Maoist newsletters. The gang also visited the residence of Muraleedharan, the owner of a building under construction in the area.

The Palakkad Principal Sessions Court of Kerala rejected the bail application of two suspected CPI-Maoist cadres arrested on the charges of attacking a multi-national food joint. The Court observed that providing bail will adversely affect the ongoing investigation.

Combing operations have been intensified in Western Ghats of Southern India after an Odisha-based Maoist, identified as Jaghwanth Poojari, was arrested in Tenmalai forest area of Kollam District of Kerala.

The office of the NHAI at Kalamassery in Kochi of Ernakulam District of Kerala was vandalized by unidentified miscreants claiming to be affiliated to the CPI-Maoist. Police said there were no eyewitnesses to the incident. The attackers left pamphlets protesting against the acquisition of land for the National Highway expansion and privatization of public organizations. The pamphlets claimed that the attack was carried out by CPI-Maoist. 'CPI-Maoist' was also scrawled in black letters on the walls of the office.

An Adivasi youth, identified as Rajesh Koorankallu (24), from the Koorankallu colony at Odakkayam in Urangattiri Gram Panchayat, near Areekode, in Malappuram District was picked up by the Police for allegedly sending a threat mail to District Superintendent of Police Debesh Kumar Behera.

The Kochi city Police arrested a man, identified as Jose, for his alleged involvement in the attack on the office of Nitta Gelatin India Limited in November 2014. The man was detained by the city Police from Kannur.

Amnesty International India has sought immediate release of persons arrested over the past few weeks on suspicion of being involved in unlawful activities because they had 'pro-Maoist' materials in their houses. In a statement released by e-mail in Thiruvananthapuram, Amnesty International India programme Director Shemeer Babu said ''mere possession of certain kinds of literature cannot be a ground for arresting someone'' and urged the authorities to respect the right of citizens to freedom of expression, which included the right to seek and receive information of all kinds.

The Ernakulam District and Principal Sessions Court in Kerala has dismissed the bail petition of two persons arrested on the charges for allegedly having CPI-Maoist links. The Court dismissed the bail petitions of Tushar Nirmal Sarathi, a human rights activist and Jayson C Cooper, a government employee.

While inaugurating the District Armed Police Force office complex in Pathanamthitta District, Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has said the State Government has adopted a two-pronged strategy to deal with the Maoist issue.

A 35-year-old man, identified K. Benny, was found killed of bullet injuries around midnight on February 12 in a forest area close to the Bhavani river at Chindakki near Attappady in Palakkad District. Police said K Benny was shot by unidentified assailants. The incident took place when Benny along with his friend Sheli was fishing in the river. Though the Police suspect it to be a case of CPI-Maoist attack the local people want a probe into the presence of the two youth at the isolated location late night.

Combing operations have been stepped up in the forests and villages along the Nilgiris-Kerala border following reports of Maoist activities in some parts of Kerala.

The UMHA has moved a Cabinet note seeking approval for its new counter- LWE doctrine, which envisages inclusion of additional districts on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu-Karnataka junction under the SRE and seeks control of the IAP scheme hitherto administered by the Planning Commission. The new counter-LWE plan proposes upgrading of SRE scheme to cover at least half a dozen new districts located in the Kerala-Tamil Nadu-Karnataka axis, besides pitching for autonomy to the UMHA to make changes to the list of SRE items (this now requires Cabinet approval). This comes amid concerns over growing CPI-Maoist influence in south India, particularly in certain Districts in North Kerala.

A private pig farm at Karimbu, around 4.5 km from Anakkampoyil within the limits of Thiruvambadi Police Station, in rural Kozhikode District of Kerala, was attacked allegedly by CPI-Maoist - cadres. According to the Police, a five member-armed gang, including two women, reportedly attacked a worker, Raju, of the farm around 3.30 pm.

The relatives of activists Thushar Nirmal Sarathy (36) and Jaison Cooper (37), booked under the UAPA for Maoist links, have accused Kerala police of highhandedness.

The Kozhikode rural Police of Kerala have launched an investigation into reports that a group of people dressed in military-style and suspected to be CPI-Maoist cadres attacked a worker of a private pig farm adjacent to a the forest near Karimba in the hilly region of Thiruvambadi in the District. The Police said that the worker, Raju aka Mandappan Raju, had said that the armed five-member group, including two women, had trespassed into the property and attacked him. At that time, his co-worker, Krishnan, was resting in a makeshift shed attached to the farm. Krishnan, on the other hand, was unaware of such an incident, the Police said.

The State Government informed the Kerala High Court that the CPI-Maoist had plans to attack Government institutions and individuals through its Urban Action Team. The State Government made the submission when petitions by Jaison C. Cooper of Fort Kochi and advocate Thushar Nirmal Sarathi of Palakkad seeking bail in a case registered against them under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for their alleged links with Maoists came up for hearing.

Investigating officers have reportedly failed to establish any Maoist links to the February 14 death of K. Benny (35), of Chellakkad, near Mukkali. Benny died of a bullet injury sustained around midnight at Chindakki, near Attappady, in the buffer zone of the Silent Valley National Park.

Kerala State Government informed the High Court that the CPI-Maoist had plans to attack government institutions and individuals through its Urban Action Team.The State Government made the submission when petitions by Jaison C. Cooper of Fort Kochi and advocate Thushar Nirmal Sarathi of Palakkad seeking bail in a case registered against them under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for their alleged links with Maoists came up for hearing. While opposing the bail petitions, Director General of Prosecution (DGP) T. Asaf Ali submitted that the government was more concerned about the safety of the public. If the petitioners were released on bail, the public would be in danger. He submitted that the petitioners were active members of the CPI-Maoist.

The Kerala High Court dismissed the bail pleas of Thushar Nirmal Sarathy and Jaison C Cooper, who allegedly belong to a CPI-Maoist front organisation and were behind the attack on NHAI office in Kochi. Turning down the bail pleas, justice B Kemal Pashad held that the contents of the case diary prima facie reveal their complicity and the matter requires thorough and continued investigation. Considering the seriousness of the allegation and the present stage of investigation, it is premature to grant bails now, the court said.

The NHRC issued notice to Kerala Government over the allegations that human rights defenders and rights activists in the state were being arrested after levelling them as 'Maoist sympathisers'. The NHRC has issued a notice to the Director General of Police of Kerala calling for a report within two weeks over the issue, according to an official statement released. The notice was issued after the Commission took suo moto cognisance of a media report that the Kerala Government was targeting human rights defenders and rights activists by labelling them as 'Maoists sympathisers'.

A suspect, identified as Ashraf, a native of Pandikkad in Malappuram, in the alleged CPI-Maoist attack on a KFC restaurant in Palakkad District in December, 2014 was arrested by Peravoor Police in Kannur District.

On the basis of intelligence tip that Maoists may target Wayanad District Collectorate in the hope that it could give them better public attention, the government has decided to bring the collectorate building and surrounding areas under electronic surveillance system. The Revenue Department has cleared the proposal for setting up surveillance cameras in the collectorate. According to the order issued by the Government in this regard INR 2.6 million has been cleared for installation of cameras in the compound that will capture the movements of visitors inside the collectorate building as well as the surrounding areas.

The Kerala High Court granted bail to Thushar Nirmal Sarathy and Jaison C Cooper, who allegedly belong to a CPI-Maoist front organization. Sarathy and Cooper, who were arrested after the attack on NHAI Kochi office, were later released from Kakkanad District jail on March 17. A division bench comprising justices KT Sankaran and Babu Mathew P Joseph granted conditional bails after prosecution informed that their continued detention is not warranted.

The CPI-Maoist is offering money, liquor and ganja to tribals to do favours for them. Maoists are shedding their ideologies to woo the tribals living in the forests of Kerala, if reports are to be believed.

Fearing civilian casualties, the anti-CPI-Maoist squad stopped short of opening fire at a Maoist gang at Mukkanampotti tribal colony at Nilambur in Malapuram District. The Police inaction had invited criticism from various corners and it is their first clarification on the incident, though it is unofficial. The Police spotted a seven-member CPI-Maoist gang in the tribal colony when the extremists were just a few metres away. It was for the first time that the Police Force in the District was coming that close to nabbing the extremist group members. "However, the police were not in a position to attack the gang. They were atop a hilly terrain and the Police were on the down side. Five of the seven people were inside the house of Chathan, a resident of the colony, having food. The others were watching the surroundings. If we had opened fire at that moment, they would have used the tribal family as cover to escape bullets. The lives of both the policemen and the civilians were at risk," sources in the force said seeking anonymity. The police action invited criticism from various quarters. But they believe what they did was right. "There were three women in the house. There would have been a huge public uproar had any civilian been injured in the attack on Maoists."

The NIA filed a charge sheet against five persons, including a former scientist at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, in a case relating to a secret meeting of the RDF, a front organisation of the CPI-Maoist, at Mavelikkara in Alappuzha District of Kerala in December 2012. The accused in the charge sheet, filed at the NIA special court Kochi, were identified as Rajesh Madhavan (34) of Mavelikkara; Bahuleyan (50) of Chirayinkeezh, Thiruvananthapuram; Devarajan (50) of Mayyanad, Kollam; Ajaya Kumar alias Ajayan of Muvattupuzha; and Gopal (52) of Rajilpakkom, Chennai. Gopal is a former scientist with Kalpakkam atomic research centre.

Three leaders of the RDF, a pro-CPI-Maoist organisation, have been arrested under the UAPA in Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala, after they were found distributing pamphlets, titled 'Maoism is not terrorism'. While two persons, identified as RDF state secretary Mannur Ajayakumar and state committee member Karivaloor Ramakrishnan, were arrested from Iritty in Kannur, another, identified as T Sugathan, state president of RDF, was arrested by Police from the Kozhikode Press Club on April 24, where he had gone to hold a press conference to protest against the arrest of his colleagues.

In the wake of the perceived CPI-Maoist threat in the rural belt of Kozhikode District, Police are planning to set up more Police Stations in the forest areas where the presence of the Maoists have been reported. According to an official with Nadapuram Sub-Division of Police, a proposal has been mooted seeking government nod to set up Police Stations at Vilangad bordering Kozhikode, Wayanad and Kannur Districts and at Kakkayam.

The statement of CPI-Maoist leader Roopesh that he was kidnapped, not arrested, was false, said Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala. "Kerala has sought Roopesh's custody. The Tamil Nadu police will have to bring him to Kerala for the investigation of cases in the state in which he was involved," Chennithala told.

Kerala Minister for Home Ramesh Chennithala said that the CPI-Maoists' attempt to implement their politico-military campaign in the State had been thwarted with the arrest of Roopesh and four others from Coimbatore.

A suspected CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Sundaran alias Unnikrishnan (49), was arrested by the Agali Police in Palakkad District. Unnikrishnan, a native of Kumaramputhur near Mannarkkad allegedly set ablaze a camp shed of the Forest Department inside the Silent Valley National Park in January along with a few others. The Police said Sundaran was taken into custody from Agali following a tip-off.

The Special Court for NIA, Ernakulam in Kerala sentenced 10 convicts in the sensational palm chopping case to 8 years of rigorous imprisonment and three others have been sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment. Earlier, on April 30 the Court had found 13 persons guilty of various charges including terrorism and criminal conspiracy in the cases related to the chopping of the palm of T J Joseph, a professor with the Newman College in Thodupuzha in Idukki District by the activists of radical outfit Popular Front of India (PFI).

Those awarded 10-year rigorous imprisonment were found guilty under various sections of Unlawful Activities [Prevention] Act (UAPA), along with different sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Explosive Substances Act. The rest three were convicted for offences under IPC. The court also imposed a fine of INR 8 lakh on the 13 convicts which will be given to the victim, professor T J Joseph. There are 54 accused persons in the case, of which 37 were charge-sheeted by the NIA. As many as 31 persons have undergone trial, and six accused are absconding.

The incident happened on July 4, 2010, when Prof T J Joseph was returning home with his family after attending the Sunday Mass. A six-member gang pulled him out of his car and chopped off his palm for authoring a question paper that allegedly had material insulting the Prophet.

The Kerala Police arrested A Rajeesh, a close aide of recently-held CPI-Maoist leader Roopesh, from Payyoli in Kozhikode District. Rajeesh, native of Thikkody, was instrumental in bringing arms to Roopesh and his team, the Police said, adding that his car had been used for such purposes. The Intelligence had been keeping a close watch on him for a long time. His phone calls too were screened by the agency. It is believed that Rajeesh brought arms, including guns, to Maoists in Kozhikode, Kannur and Wayanad forests.

Two CPI-Maoist cadres identified as Anil (44) alias Remanan and Anandan (50) were arrested from Kundara area of Kollam District. Commenting on the arrest SP, Kollam Rural, S. Sasikumar said the duo had links with Maoist leader Roopesh who was arrested by the Andhra Pradesh Police from Coimbatore.

Addressing a meet-the-press programme in Kochi, CPI Kerala State unit secretary Kanam Rajendran said the CPI was opposed to the ways adopted by the CPI-Maoist but the issues were relevant. The arrested Maoists should be treated as political prisoners, he said. He said that the Government should find solutions to the social issues raised by Maoists instead of meting out inhuman treatment to them. Rajendran also cautioned the Government against any attempt to suppress the issues by unleashing combing operations against the activists who were highlighting reality.

Concerned over Maoists' move to radicalise tribals and youths in some parts of the State, Kerala Government has decided to "double" its developmental and welfare initiatives in vulnerable areas. "We will be very careful," Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said when asked about the Maoist problem in some parts of the state and the arrests of its top leaders, including Roopesh, his wife Shyna and their comrades from Coimbatore earlier this month. Noting that the tribals and youths are the "real target" of the reds, the chief minister, in his recent interaction with, said, "We will double our developmental and welfare efforts in tribal areas" to effectively deal with the problem.

The Ernakulam Additional District and Sessions Court sent Roopesh and his wife Shyna, alleged CPI-Maoist operatives, to judicial custody till June 10. The couple was later shifted to the district jail at Kakkanad. Earlier, Roopesh and Shyna were brought to Kochi from the Coimbatore central prison by road.

The Kerala High Court in a significant ruling said ''being a Maoist is of no crime." Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque while delivering a judgement said that State pay a compensation of INR 100000 and INR 10,000 as cost to the petitioner Shyam Balakrishnan from Wayanad District in the case. In his judgment Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque further held that in this case, "the facts will clearly indicate that the petitioner was arrested as a suspected Maoist. At the relevant time, the Police had no clue about the offence committed by the petitioner. The only reason on which the petitioner was arrested was that he was a suspected Maoist. No doubt, the Police, on realising the mistake, released the petitioner without registering a case."

The Kerala State Government has questioned the judgment delivered by a single judge bench of Kerala High Court on May 22nd, 2015 which said 'being a Maoist is not a crime'. The State Government has filed an appeal in the High Court demanding that the order must be set aside. The single bench had held that Police cannot detain a person merely because he is a Maoist, unless Police forms a reasonable opinion that his activities are unlawful. Government's appeal said the single bench's finding is absolutely illegal and against the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA).

The Government of Kerala has said that it will approach a division bench of the Kerala State High Court to withdraw the ruling of a single judge bench that has said that being a Maoist is not a crime. On May 22, a single bench of the Kerala High Court had criticized the State Police for arresting a person for being a Maoist. The court had then ordered the Police to pay compensation to the individual for harassing him.

The Kerala High Court stayed further proceedings on a single bench's order to pay compensation of INR 100,000 for illegal detention by Thunderbolt, the special police team for combating CPI-Maoist activities in the State. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice A M Shaffique was considering an appeal filed by the State Government against the order. The single bench's ruling, on a petition filed by Shyam Balakrishnan of Wayanad, had also said that being a Maoist is not a crime and detaining a person for questioning will amount to illegal detention if the legal formalities of an arrest are not followed.

Sending out a strong message to Kerala State Government on the existence of CPI-Maoist activism post Roopesh-Shyna arrest in Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu, an armed group of five Maoists have reportedly visited households at Kurichiya colony near Melathalapuzha in Wayanad District.

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has advised the daughters of CPI-Maoist couple Roopesh and Shyna not to follow in their parents' footsteps. Chennithala, in a letter published on his blog, said "Do not opt for the path of your parents. There will be many persons who will glorify the approach of your parents. The path of violence and weapons do not take a person anywhere.''

Kerala Government said it was committed to ending CPI-Maoist threat but made it clear that the activities of the LWEs could not be suppressed through force. Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala in a Facebook post said "The Government has no illusion that it can suppress Maoist threat by using force" but made it clear that the Government was committed to ending the challenges posed by the banned outfit. The government also did not want to crush any peaceful protest and violate the Human Rights of any person, he added.

Rajeesh, who was arrested for suspected pro-Maoist activities in Wayanad District, has admitted that he had helped the Maoists by arranging transportation facilities and carrying arms and ammunition for them.

The Kannur District Police are on fresh alert following the latest sighting of suspected CPI-Maoist cadres at the Ramachi colony under Kelakam Police Station limits. Three men in military fatigues visited the colony at 9.30 a.m. and the house of one Kelappan and stayed for nearly 30 minutes, the Police said. Two of them were reportedly carrying firearms.

Kerala Police arrested a person, identified as Ibrahim alias Babu (62) from Kozhikode District who has been acting as a courier among top CPI-Maoist leaders in the State.

The Ernakulam rural Police of Kerala arrested an 'area commander' of the PLGA, armed wing of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Jitendar Oraon, native of the Latehar District in Jharkhand. Investigations revealed that Jitendar was in constant touch with Bada Vikas, a Maoist leader in Jharkhand and had coordinated activities of the party in the region.

A team of Police officials from Attappady and a five-member gang of suspected CPI-Maoist cadres exchanged fire deep in the forests bordering the Kadukumanna tribal hamlet in the Silent Valley forests, about 15 km from Mukkali in Palakkad District.

Security has been strengthened along the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border in Coimbatore and The Nilgiris Districts, following reports of attacks by CPI-Maoist cadres on Police personnel and reported exchange of fire at Agali in Kerala in the forenoon. "More than 600 Police personnel have been deployed for surveillance to check for Maoist intrusion," said Inspector General of Police (IG), West Zone, K. Shankar.

Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has condemned the attack on a Police party by armed Maoists at Attappady.

A group of armed persons, suspected to be CPI-Maoist cadres, allegedly distributed a set leaflet, carrying a call to boycott the upcoming local body elections, among local people at a Government Orphanage School at Thirunelli in Wayanad District of Kerala.

Jitendra Oraon (43), once an 'area commander' of the CPI-Maoist in Jharkhand, was arrested in Ernakulam District, where he was working as a daily wage labourer. A source in CPI-Maoist said he fled Jharkhand after the party ordered that he be killed for desertion.

Two camp sheds of the Forest Department in the Silent Valley National Park in Palakkad District of Kerala were found destroyed. Forest officials and Police officers suspect that these to be attacks carried out by CPI-Maoist moving around the area. One of the camp sheds was close to the Aanavari Tribal Hamlet and the inhabitants informed the forest officials of the destruction. The other camp shed was located at Thudukki Tribal Hamlet, deep inside the forest.

A team of Police officers from Attappady in Palakkad District of Kerala and a five-member CPI-Maoist group had an exchange of fire deep inside the forests bordering Mannarkkad.

The Kerala Thunderbolt commandos began combing in the forest areas adjacent to Kambamala tea estate in Wayanad District of Kerala for suspected CPI-Maoist cadres. Official sources said a six-member armed group; including two women reportedly visited the workers of the estate owned by the Kerala Forest Development Corporation around 10.30 a.m. on the day and distributed pamphlets to them. They were attired in military style uniform and five of them carried guns. Two among them introduced themselves as Anu and Hari and interacted with the workers in Malayalam.

The Police and IB officials arrested Sidharth Mondal, an alleged CPI-Maoist cadre, and a West Bengal resident, from his hideout on the Thotapilly estate, around Myladumpara, near Santhanpara in Idukki District. Intelligence sources said Sidharth, a high ranking leader with the CPI-Maoist, had taken part in the Lalgarh action in West Medinipur District of West Bengal.

A group of suspected CPI-Maoist cadres attacked forest outposts in Pookottumpadam under Nilambur south forest division in Malapuram District and Silent Valley outpost in Palakkad forest area of Palakkad District in Kerala and abducted three persons including two forest officials. According to the forest officials the abducted persons were later released. The suspected group attacked the outpost which is located inside the Nilambur forest, around 15 kilometres away from the Pookottumpadam town. After setting the outpost ablaze the gang abducted five persons including four staff and one local person from Pookkottumpadam outpost. Though two forest staff managed to escape from their custody, other two forest watchers and the local man were taken to deep forest area by Maoist the gang. After keeping them in custody for one hour they were released. DFO of Nilambur South Saji said that the role of Maoist gang in the abduction and attack was confirmed."

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has launched a "hearts and minds" operation to prevent the radicalisation of disaffected tribal youth in Wayanad, Palakkad and Malappuram Districts of Kerala It is centred on the special recruitment of tribal youth and women into the State Police force through the Public Service Commission. The Minister said in a press release recently that it was an ideal measure to stop Maoists from recruiting such youngsters to their cause. The government has also ordered additional protection to village offices and Police Stations in Wayanad. The Forest Department could seek the help of the Police to conduct patrols.

Kerala Police arrested a CPI-Maoist sympathizer, identified as Sidhartha Mondal, from his hideout in Edukki District.

Even though the incidents of the CPI-Maoist activities have been on the rise in Kerala in 2015, the intelligence wing has reviewed that the CPI-Maoist could not make any influence in tribal belts in the State and conduct fresh recruitment in the last one year.