Court extends custody of Maoists Chandru, Unnimaya for 9 more days

Wayanad: The District Sessions Court in Kalpetta on Monday extended the custody period of the two Maoist cadres, who were arrested by police while raiding Chapparam Colony, near Thalappuzha, Mananthavadi last Wednesday, for nine more days (up to November 22) based on a request submitted by the police.

The cadres Unnimaya (31) of Chikmagalur in Karnataka and Chandru (36) of Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu were produced in the court in the morning amid high security. The duo were remanded to police custody for five days on November 8, a day after their arrest. Though the anti-Maoist squad of Karnataka and the Special Task Force officials from Tamil Nadu interrogated the cadres for information on Maoist activities in both states, no vital information has been received so far, said sources.

The police contended at the court that if the ultras were let free, there was the possibility that they would join other cadres in the jungle and attack the police. They also said the force is yet to recover the reserve of arms and ammunition of Maoists hiding in the jungle.

Police submitted in the court that Chandru was involved in the police-Maoist encounter at Upavan Resort in Vythiri, Wayanad, where a cadre, C P Jaleel, was killed. Chandru's fingerprints were identified by forensic experts among those collected from the resort, it was pointed out.

On the day of the encounter at Chapparam tribal settlement, the cadres were returning to the jungle from the house of Aneesh, a member of the Kurichia tribe, after collecting provisions and charging their mobile phones and power banks, when the thunderbolt commandos rounded them up.

Three cadres – Latha, Sundari and another male cadre – escaped into the forest. As per reports, the late-night operation was conducted by police on a tip-off received from Aneesh Babu alias Thambi, who was arrested from Kozhikode on November 7. Thunderbolt commandos launched the special operation on the same night.