Maoists attack Kerala stone quarry, paste posters

Suspected Maoists attacked a stone quarry in north Kerala’s Kannur district early on Friday weeks after they carried out a string of attacks signalling an intensification of their activities in the southern state.

Police a five-member gang forcibly entered the quarry premises after tying up the security guard and vandalised the office of the crusher unit.

After torching the office, they took away two computers and CCTVs. The gang, which included a woman, also pasted posters at the site calling for an armed struggle. In 2013, they had attacked a quarry in Kozhikode.

“Maoist hand is suspected in the latest attack. Those who carry out such attacks in the dead of night are real cowards,” said state home minister Ramesh Chennithala.

Friday’s attack comes in the wake of intelligence reports that Maoists were planning to regroup to widen their activities in the state.

Chennithala had visited Wayanad, a tribal-dominated village, two days ago in this regard.

Last month, Maoists had exchanged fire with police commandos in Wayanad district.

Wayanad was a Maoist hotbed in the late 1960s and early 1970s despite many insurgents being killed by security personnel.

However, during the Emergency years of 1975-77 authorities clamped down on the insurgency and several custodial deaths were also reported.

Former chief minister K Karunakaran was instrumental in forcing out Maoist terror from the state.