NIA announces 2 lakh reward for info on Maoists in tri-junction forest

Posters in Tamil regarding the announcement are being put up in certain tribal areas in western parts of the state as well.

According to NIA, the two are wanted in connection with Vellamunda case (Kerala) in which alleged members/activists of CPI (Maoist), under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, formed an unlawful assembly with deadly weapons, trespassed into the house of AB Pramod, a police officer, trained their guns at him and threatened to kill him in the year 2014. They asked him to resign from the police department and set his motorcycle on fire besides making a call for armed revolution, affecting integrity of the state.

NIA said that Jayanna alias Mahesh alias John alias Marappa, originally from Raichur and Sundari alias Geetha alias Sindu, native of Dakshina Kannada are wanted in the case and announced a reward of Rs 2 lakh for information on them.

Kerala Police filed charge sheet against four other accused before the Sessions Court, Kalpetta, Kerala on January 1, 2016 while NIA has taken over further probe.

Earlier, because of internal tussle, TN armed squad was operating under Kalidas, while Kerala squad was under the control of Roopesh and Karnataka squad is headed by Jayanna. Except Jayanna, the other two were already arrested by the police in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Since 2010, Maoists have been trying to turn the tri-junction area into a major hub, especially after the CRPF started flushing them out from the northern belt. In recent communication, the left extreme group claimed they were in control of tri-junction (forest area comprising the borders of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka).