Maoist with ₹5 lakh reward nabbed in Kerala after two decades
61-year-old Maoist suspect, Suresh, arrested in Kerala forest after 2 decades on the run. Injured in elephant encounter, now under police custody.
Bengaluru:
A 61-year-old wanted Maoist suspect was arrested on Saturday after eluding law enforcement agencies for nearly two decades, said police.
Originally from Angadi village in Mudigere town of Chikkamagaluru district, Suresh also known as Pradeep, has been on the run since 2003, actively participating in clandestine Maoists operations, said the police.
He was nabbed during an operation in the Kanjirakolli forest area of Kannur in Kerala, where Suresh and his team were operating.
“We received information from Kerala police that Suresh was held by Kannur district rural police,” said Jitendra Kumar Dayam, the SP at Anti-Naxal Force (ANF).
According to the Kerala police, maoists had an encounter with a wild elephant during which Suresh was injured.
“A group of naxals (maoists) have been operating in Kanjirakolli Reserve Forest for a few days. On the morning of February 16, a pachyderm confronted the group. It attacked Suresh while others fled from the scene. Suresh could not run but screamed for help, hearing which nearby villagers rescued him and shifted him to Kannur Medical College. They then informed the police,” said M Hemalatha, the superintendent of police (SP) of Kannur (rural).
The Kerala Police took his custody from the hospital where he is receiving treatment for his leg and chest injuries.
Police said, Suresh has been wanted in many cases. Police of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu have been searching for him since several years.
Suresh, who had adopted a new identity following his involvement in maoists activities, said police. He had become one of the most sought-after maoists in Karnataka, with over 26 registered cases against him in the state.
“He was facing multiple cases in Sringeri police station and last appeared in 2003 at Sringeri court. After availing bail, he absconded. The state government even announced a ₹5 lakh reward for him. He has many cases registered against him in Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada, and Shimoga districts. After legal proceedings in Kerala, we will take his custody through the court,” added Dayam.
