Wayanad: Thunderbolt commandos of the Kerala police and Maoists exchanged gunfire in the interiors of a forest, adjacent to the tea plantation at Kambamala, near Thalappuzha, Mananthavadi on Tuesday.

The incident came to light when labourers reported to the plantation office that nine rounds of gunshots were heard from the forest where the thunderbolt commandos had been on combing operations for the last few days. On April 23, four members of the banned CPI (Maoist) launched an anti-election campaign among the plantation workers, urging them to keep away from casting votes in the General Election.

Since then police have been on high alert across the district and also in the Maoist-prone jungle zones. Police sources said that the Maoists had fired at the Thunderbolt search squad and the commandos fired back in response.
Additional forces also reached the spot from Mananthavady and launched a massive combing operation along with the commandos.