Kozhikode Rural police and Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) members have intensified their search in the forest areas around Chakkittappara panchayat after two residents were allegedly threatened by armed Maoists a few days ago. Police deployment has also been intensified in areas where local residents had reportedly met them at different times.
“The investigation teams have taken up the complaints seriously as the armed men had also raised death threats against me. For us, this is the first experience,” said Chakkittappara panchayat president Sunil Kallunkal. He said the statement of the two local residents whom the armed Maoists met showed that they were very much scared after the incident.
Though there were unconfirmed reports earlier from interior areas of Chakkittappara about the visit of Maoists, it was the first time that they approached residents directly, on August 17. They had also taken away groceries from a local shop.
In the wake of the latest incidents, the local panchayat called upon the police and the State government to immediately open a police outpost in Chakkittappara to keep an eye on illegal activities and the movement of unknown persons through the forest land. It also pointed out that the Peruvannamuzhi and Koorachundu police stations were finding it difficult to set up a permanent surveillance mechanism in the areas.
Noticing an increase in the number of complaints on the presence of Maoists in Kozhikode’s rural areas, there were proposals to build two new police stations — one at Vilangad and another at Kakkayam — nearly five years ago. However, the lack of funds is delaying the project execution. Additional surveillance steps with the support of the ATS and the local police were taken only during the time of the general elections.
