Kerala: Mastermind behind Maoist attacks in Western Ghats identified as Telangana resident, sources say

Sources said that Hanumanthu alias Ganesh Uike, a native of Nalgonda district of Telangana is associated with the Dandakaranya Zonal Committee of Maoists and is a member of CPI Maoist Central Committee.

Kalpetta: The investigation officers of the intelligence wing have identified the mastermind behind the Maoist attacks in the Western Ghats as Hanumanthu alias Ganesh Uike, a native of Nalgonda district of Telangana, sources said on Friday. An official said that the accused is an activist associated with the Dandakaranya Zonal Committee of Maoists and is a member of CPI Maoist Central Committee.

According to intelligence agencies Hanumantu is a history sheeter. He is an accused in the case of assassination of Congress leader VC Shukla in Chhattisgarh Sukma in 2013. It is believed that Uike shifted his operation area to the Western Ghats after the arrest of Sanjay Deepak Rao, who was a member of the Maoist Central Committee in Telangana.

Intelligence agencies assert that he has been in charge of the Western Ghats Special Zonal Committee of Maoists and has visited Kerala several times. Uike is said to be coordinating the Maoist activities in the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. There are hints that he is the mastermind behind the Maoist actions that were witnessed in Kerala forest area including the one in Kambamala.

There are also hints that Maoists are planning to strengthen their base in the western ghats and the recent actions and firings were part of that build up process. It is also believed that the firing on forest guards in the Aralam wildlife area was also a part of their strengthening plan. The intelligence agencies also suspect there are efforts to revive inactive factions of Maoist outfits like 'Nadukani Dalam' and 'Bhavani Dalam'.

The investigation team gained remarkable inputs regarding the strength of the active Maoist groups. As per their assessment there are eighteen activists in Banasura and Kabani dalams which are active now. It was last Tuesday (November 7) the Maoist outfits engaged in an gunfight with the Kerala police's Thunderbolt force.

Two Maoists were taken into custody after the encounter. Sources said that the Maoists were on their way to collect food when the security forces intercepted them. During the gun battle two other suspected Maoist activists managed to escape.