Locals gather around the Padukka forest station on hearing the news about the deaths of Maoists in police encounter in Nilambur forest. Photo: Sameer Hameed» Kerala cops, Maoists exchange fire at Paduka forest range in Nilambur forests
» Two Maoists including central committee member killed in shootout (Three Maoists killed according to unofficial sources)
» Killed: Andhra native Kuppu Devaraj, Kaveri alias Ajitha, and an unidentified Naxal activist
» The 60-member Kerala Thunderbolt commando force started a search in the morning based on information about a Maoist base camp
» The encounter with the 15-member Maoist group started Thursday noon
» Alert declared in Palakkad, Kozhikode, Wayanad districts
Local residents and police personnel on alert at Paduka Forest Station in Nilambur after reports of police encounter with Maoists and the deaths of Naxal activists.
Nilambur: Two Maoists, including a woman, were killed in an encounter with the police in Paduka forest region in Edakkara near here Thursday, according to the police.
IG Ajithkumar said that a man and a woman were killed in the encounter. However, unofficial sources said that Kuppu Devaraj hailing from Andhra Pradesh, Kaveri aka Ajitha and one unidentified Naxal activist were killed in the ambush. Devaraj was instrumental in carrying out Maoist activities in Andhra Pradesh.
A 60-member Kerala Thunderbolt commando force led by Malapuram SP began the combing operation early in the morning. More police personnel have been dispatched to the area.
A police team which had entered the deep forest in connection with the operation has sought an ambulance, according to reports.
The encounter took place four kilometers away from the human habitation. The Intelligence Bureau chief reportedly contacted the state police chief and a red alert has been sounded in Silent Valley and Nilambur.
The region falls in Karulai range under the Nilambur South division.
The presence of Maoists in Nilambur forests was reported earlier also.
Police on alert
A report from Udhagamandalam in neighboring Tamil Nadu said checkposts in the hilly Nilgiris district, bordering Kerala and Karnataka, have been put on alert to prevent possible Maoist infiltration from the Nilambur area.
Police said six checkposts bordering Kerala and one on the Karnataka border have been strengthened and police personnel at the nearby stations asked to be prepared to tackle any eventuality.
Checking of vehicles, particularly those coming from Kerala, have been intensified to prevent the possibility of the extremists fleeing to Karnataka, they said.
(With agency inputs)
