Maoist leader arrested in Kannur

The Kerala police took into custody the maoist leader Ragavendran.

National Investigation Agency has arrested a 32-year-old Maoist leader at Pappinisseri, here on Sunday.

The Kerala police, who took into custody the maoist leader Ragavendran, son of Rajan, a resident of Vellore in Tamil Nadu, on Saturday evening handed over him to NIA, who registered his arrest on Sunday morning.

According to Kannur police chief R. Ilango, they had specific intelligence inputs and based on which they carried out checking and intercepted the vehicle, which was trying to speed away.

"When taken into custody he chanted Maoist slogans and he was also found in possession of two Aadhaar cards,"said Mr. Ilango.

He was not willing to share any details and hence they tried to get information regarding him. During the inquiry they found that he had multiple cases against him.

Among the Maoists, he was known as Ravi Murukesh and Gautam. A case has been registered in 2017 against him at Edakara police station in Malapuram. The case was later taken over by the NIA.

Ragavendran was arrested in the case of observing Maoist day and for conducting weapon training in Nilambur forest in 2016. Earlier, footage of him giving weapons training was released and the case was registered at Edakara police station.

There are 19 accused in the case, including Kuppu Devaraj, Velmurugan and Ajitha, who were killed in a clash with Thunderbolt.