Wayanad: Kerala Police have taken into custody two suspected Maoist cadres while two others managed to flee during an encounter in Wayanad-Kannur forest area on Tuesday night, official sources said. Security forces have intensified the search operation in the area to nab the fleeing Maoists who are said to have been injured in the brief exchange of fire.
An official said that an encounter broke out between the Maoists and the Kerala Police's Special Operations Group and the Thunderbolt Squad in the Chappara Colony in Periya Wayanad during a search operation launched by the security forces in the area. The search operation was launched following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoists in the area.
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Sources said that the security forces had received intelligence inputs that the Maoists had taken shelter in the house of a local resident named Anish late at night and they had food from his house. Based on the secret information received by the police, the joint team of the security forces reached Chappara Colony last night.
The family members said that the gunfight took place after the police asked the hiding Maoists to surrender, but they turned down the appeal and a gunfight erupted. According to the family, the shooting lasted for half an hour. In the ensuing encounter, police managed to arrest two Maoists while two others managed to give slip to the security forces, an official said.
The two taken into custody have been identified as Chandru and Unnimaya who have been shifted to Kalpetta. The accused may be produced in court today. Sources said that the two Maoists who escaped were injured in the gunfight and a search is ongoing in the Periya, Thalapuzha, Makkimala and Aralam forest areas to nab them.
