Maoist presence in forest area in Kerala: Chennithala

Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 30: Presence of

in the

areas of certain parts of

has been noticed since February 2013, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala told the assembly today. Maoist existence was noticed in the forest areas of Wayand, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod districts, Chennithala said in a written reply.

Stating that it was not proper to disclose more on the subject in view of security reasons, Chennithala said several checks had been conducted in the areas where Maoist presence has been reported. A special team comprising three companies of armed forces has been constituted for anti-Maoist drive, he said. He also said necessary precautionary measures had been taken to monitor the link between migrant workers with Maoist.

It has come to the notice of the government that some of the Maoist had come to Kerala posing as migrant workers. They have been arrested and registered cases against them whenever such cases came to the notice of authorities, he said. Kerala police was also very vigilant against such people, he added.

To a question whether information about migrant workers were gathered, he said contractors or agents who bring the migrant labourers to the state were supposed to provide the details of workers to the nearby police station. Close watch was also on the places of migrant workers camps, he said.

PTI