: A seven-member armed gang belonging to the banned CPI(Maoist) group encountered the police at Mundakkadavu Adivasi Colony in the Karulai forest range near Nilambur on Monday night.
The police said the armed group fired at them and escaped into the forest. The police too returned fire. But none was injured.
The police reached the Adivasi colony on a tip-off about the Maoist group’s visit to the colony.
The group, consisting of six men and a woman, had conducted a class for the tribal people at the colony’s community hall.
The police said the meeting was convened by the group’s leader Soman.
The meeting had not ended when the police reached the colony.
On seeing the police, the armed group escaped through the back exit by making the Adivasis as human shield and shouting Maoist slogans against democracy.
The police chased the gang into the jungle and when cornered, they fired at the police from a distance of 25 metres. The police said the Maoists fired five rounds and they returned three rounds.
Massive search
The group escaped in spite of a massive search conducted by the police and the Thunderbolt commando team late into the night.
The police said they seized some leaflets, posters, and a banner of the CPI(Maoist) from the Adivasi colony. The search continued on Tuesday as well. The police said they registered several cases against the Maoist group led by Soman.
The others were not identified. They were also booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The cases were registered at the Pookkottumpadam police station.
The Maoist presence was reported at Mundakkadavu, Pattakkarimbu and Uchakkulam areas several times in recent months. The police had enhanced their vigil, but none was caught so far.
