Kerala: Maoists presence in Wayanad; Calls for boycott of Lok Sabha elections

By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Apr 24, 2024, 10:10 AM IST

Maoists reportedly visited the Kambamala area of Thalapuzha in Wayanad, urging locals to boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Two armed individuals were among the group of four who stayed in the area for about 20 minutes, shouting slogans

Wayanad: Residents have reported the arrival of Maoists in Thalapuzha Kambamala. A group of four individuals arrived around six in the morning, urging for an election boycott. According to locals, they remained in the area for approximately 20 minutes. Among the four individuals was Maoist leader CP Moideen.
Intelligence reports had indicated the presence of Maoists in the vicinity. According to the locals, the Maoists engaged in vocal communication and chanting slogans for roughly 20 minutes. Of the four individuals present, two were observed carrying weapons.

The group advised residents to abstain from participating in the upcoming elections, asserting that it would be pointless. They emphasized that decades of democracy had failed to yield significant changes in people's lives and advocated armed uprisings as the only viable solution. After a disagreement with villagers, they retreated into the forest. While two men descended into the settlement area, the rest remained at the summit.

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Footage from a mobile camera, recorded by a local youth, has revealed the presence of four Maoist cadres, two of whom were armed. Identified as CP Moideen, Santhosh, Soman, and Ashique (also known as Manoj), all four are confirmed to be natives of Kerala by the police. Among them is Soman, also known as Akbar, aged 41, a former journalist from Kalpetta, Wayanad.

Earlier in September 2023, Maoists had vandalized the office of the Mananthavady divisional manager of the Forest Development Corporation in Kambamala. Subsequently, two individuals were apprehended from the Kambamala area. Following these incidents, there had been no further Maoist activity in the region for an extended period.

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