Wayanad: Kalpetta: The Maoists, who held three migrant labourers hostage at Meppadi in the district on Friday, have been identified.
The gang included one Vikram Gowda and Wayanad native Soman. They reached Meppadi from Puthuppadi in neighbouring Kozhikode district. The police said their aim was to make their presence felt in the area. They have been charged with provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The activists of a radical Left group had abducted the migrant workers employed in Emerald estate at Kalladi Thollayiram near Meppadi around 6.30 pm on Friday.
Maqbool Sheikh, Moquim Sheikh and Alauddheen Sheikh, all natives of Kolkata, were held hostage by the Maoists' gang Friday evening. While Maqbool and Moquim fled from their custody, Alaudheen was released around midnight.
Meanwhile, the contractor who provided the service of the labourers to the resort owner said he had spoken to them over phone nine times. He also spoke to the Maoists who reportedly sought a ransom from the resort owner to release the workers.
The police and the Thunderbolt launched a search for the radicals.
The workers, who managed to escape from captivity, were questioned to get details, the police said.
According to preliminary information, there were five people, including women, in the group that abducted the workers, police said, according to a PTI report.
When contacted by Onmanorama, the Meppadi police declined to comment.
Though there have been reports of Maoists camping in Wayanad, they had not been spotted for months.
The presence of Maoists was confirmed in Thamarassery and Puthuppadi areas of Kozhikode district recently.
There were reports of the Left extremists being spotted in the areas nearly 30 times in a month.
