Thunderbolt-Maoists Encounter Raises Several Questions

KOZHIKODE: Questions are raised over the ‘encounter’ between the Thunderbolt, the special commando wing under the Kerala Police, and suspected Maoists in a tribal settlement colony near Chappa in Wayanad the other day, since many doubt the police version.

Civic Chandran, social activist, smells a rat over the police action. “I suspect that the police created this fake encounter news. Lakhs of Rupees has been allocated (by the Centre) for combing operations. For utilising this they might have fabricated this kind of stories. Only the government and police wish to establish the presence of Maoists in the state so as to divert many other issues from the people’s attention,” he said.

Moreover, there is no reason to shoot them, as the suspected group has not committed any serious offence, Civic Chandran added. He pointed out that former DIG Jayaram Padikkal himself had admitted that they had created many groups to establish the extremist presence during the anti naxalite operation in the state earlier.

“If the Maoists are attempting to gain strength through the tribal sections in the state, why are they not trying to make the protest staged by the adivasis in front of Secretariat a success. Why are they not acting to float a strong dalit movement by organising the tribals in Attappadi and other areas,” he asked.

Retired Kannur Range IG Jose George also echoed the similar view that the police had not confirmed any extremist action by suspected Maoist groups yet in the state, hence there was no circumstance to open fire against them.

“In Kerala, the only thing reported was ultras had distributed pamphlets in the tribal settlements and attempted to attract the marginalised section. There were no untoward incidents here like what occurred in Jharkand and other regions in the country. Then how can the police shoot them?” Jose George, who had been entrusted with Maoist combing operations in forest areas in Northern districts during service, asked.

He opined that the Kerala Police was not equipped well enough to take on Maoist threats. We have not taken Maoists as serious as like other states. Most of the other states have special squads to face Maoist threats, but we lack a special wing to fight them.

The ultras can escape to the bordering forest in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu easily. Our forest areas are not so dense and have people settlements. This also affect combing operations, he pointed out.

“Earlier the department had established an anti-maoist squad, but later the personnel assigned to head the team had been assigned to take charge of other responsibilities,” he added.

Meanwhile, there are reports of exchange of fire between suspected Maoists and commandos in Pakramthalam, near Kuttiady in the district, on Monday. Local people communicated this through television channels.

However, sources with the Kozhikode Rural Police maintained that this has not been confirmed. “The distance between Chappa and Pakramthalam is about 40 km. They could not cover this much distance in a night after the encounter at Chappa,” pointed out officials.

However, police conducted searches in Vilangad, Nadapuram and Kuttaidy, while security has been tightened in these areas in in the light of the encounter the other day.

Source http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/Thunderbolt-Maoists-Encounter-Raises-Several-Questions/2014/12/09/article2562444.ece