With parts of Kerala becoming non-conducive for continuation of their operations, the Kannada speaking members of Maoist’s ‘Kabini Dalam’ are scouting for areas in Karnataka that are conducive for their operations, according to officers closely monitoring the anti-Naxal operations in the State.
Four armed individuals — two men and two women — were recently seen in Koojimale near Sampaje, on the border of Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu districts. These individuals had introduced themselves as Forest Department personnel to a shopkeeper on March 17 while purchasing rice and other groceries before proceeding to the forest. Subsequently, the suspected Maoist members were spotted in Subrahmanya on March 23 and 27.
Based the description given by the villagers, the police suspect these members to be Vikram Gowda, Vanajakshi, Lata and John. A senior official said these four are among the 14-odd Kannada speaking members of Kabini Dalam who are tasked with scouting for a new place in Karnataka to continue their operations.
In the last six months, there has been a significant reduction in the number of suspected Maoists in the tri-junction of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Two Maoists were arrested while three others died, including one who was trampled by an elephant. The vandalism of the office of Kerala Forest Development Corporation in Kambamala, near Wayanad, in September 2023, allegedly by the Maoists in pursuit of their demand for better residential facilities of plantation workers backfired, and they were forced to find a new place before the monsoon. “With most of them being proficient in Kannada, these members will find it convenient to operate in Karnataka,” the officer added.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (Western Range) M.B. Boralingaiah said the Anti-Naxal Force, Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada police units, are engaged in intense combing operations to find the suspected Maoists.
