High level police team visits maoist areas

Kannur, Mar 21 : Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), North Zone, N Shanker Reddy, Kannur Range, Inspector-General of Police (IG) Jose George and District Police Chief Rahul R Nair visited the Maoist infested areas in Kannur district, bordering Karnataka forest areas today.

A police team led by the ADGP also assessed the situation and directed the 'thunderbolt' peronnel, camping at Aralam police station since last two days on the combing operations.

The police team also visited Kannavam, Peravoor, Kelakam, Aralam, Ulikkal and Karikottakiri police station, bordering Karnatka state and strengthened the police presence there.

Thirty two Thunderbolt perssonnel led by Sub Inspector U K Ashokan, reached Aralam police station on March 19 and were camping at Aralam areas, in the wake of reports of suspected Maoist presence in the forest areas bordering Kerala and Karnataka.

This was the second time that the 'thunderbolt' team was deployed in Kannur as part of search operations against Naxalites within the span of one month.

The estate employees of Urupukutty near Karikottakiri in this district had sighted suspected Maoists carrying weapons in Karnatka areas at Pookalam and Barnani, two weeks back. This message was passed on to the police.

Following this unofficial reports of sighting Maoist groups also came from Karnataka forest areas. This led to the combing operations by Karnataka Anti Naxal force also since last week.

A threat from Naxalites was reported earlier to Aralam police station.

Mostly tribal people live in that area.

The police constructed compound walls and appointed additional policemen in Aralam police station.