Suspected maoist gunned down in Kerala's Wayanad forests

Thiruvananthapuram : A suspected maoist was killed in an alleged encounter between the Kerala police and a gang of Left extremists in the district early on Tuesday, police said.The incident happened between 83.00 am to 9 am. Local people said that they heared some firing sound around that time.

The slain extremist is believed to be a non-Keralite and was in the age group of 30 to 35,says reports. Unconfirmed reports suggests that the name of the diseased is Murukan from Tamilnadu.

District Police Superintendent of Police J Poonkuzhali confirmed the news. She also said that they were a group of six people and five among them ran way after the firing.

The encounter took place in the forests in Bhaskaran Para in Banasura forest which covers border with Karnataka. The visuals on the TV channels here show a double barrel gun.

Local legislator C.K.Saseendran told the media that he has little information which says that one person has been killed.

"The Thunderbolt team of the Kerala Police which was on a routine patrolling in the forests and it was at that time they found a group of people. An exchange of fire took place and am told that one man is dead. More details are awaited and a strong police force has also been despatched to the area," said Saseendran.

The firing between the Thunderbolt, an elite commando force of state police specialised in combating extremists, and the suspected ultras took place in the nearby Banasura forest area under Padinjarethara police station limits. Padinjarethara police said they are yet to receive any details regarding the encounter.

"There is one casualty. The police team including the SP are on their way to the location," a senior police source told

Vellamunda police officials said they were on their way to the location and details were yet to be known.

Meanwhile Human rights activists demanded to give adequate medical treatment if anyone is in custody.They also demanded to have access to the place where encounter happened , as police is not allowing media person to the area.

"We are suspecting this as a fake encounter",said Porattam State convenor Shanto Lal to Madhyamam.

On October 30 last year, four Maoists were killed in an exchange of fire in the forest area of Palakkad district.

A suspected Maoist leader C P Jaleel was killed early in March last year in an exchange of fire with police personnel at a resort in Wayanad.

(With inputs from agencies)