Combing operations in Nilgiris over Maoist scare

Ooty: With suspected Maoist movement in the jungles in Kerala bordering the Nilgiris on its west, the police here, assisted by foresters, organised combing operations in the Upper Bhavani, Kinnakorai and its nearby forest areas in the Nilgiris border to ascertain if there was any infiltration or movement of any suspicious elements in and around the jungles in the hills.

Though forest and police officials maintained that it is a routine exercise, police sources said a couple of days ago, some suspicious elements were found roaming in the Jalliparai tribal hamlet in the Aghali area in Kerala as it is located next to the Kinnakorai slopes in the Nilgiris.

While this prompted the police in Kerala to intensify their combing operations in the jungles along the Kerala-Nilgiris border, the police here have set in motion operations in the jungle borders in the southwest of the Nilgiris along the Kinnakorai region and also along the jungle borders around  Pandalur taluk in the west.

While around 60 policemen, including some DSPs, are said to be part of the combing operations, a police team, led by the SP of Nilgiris, Mr T. Senthil Kumar, organised combing operations on Monday along the Upper Bhavani and Kinnakorai slopes.

The team visited tribal hamlets in these regions and enquired with the tribals about recent activities in the jungles and the movement of strangers.

While police officials said this exercise would continue to keep evil designs under check inside the forest, at Pandalur taluk, security has been beefed up in five police stations on the jungle borders on Monday to check any attempt by Maoist elements to attack the stations in the backdrop of the death anniversary of Maoist leader Charu Mazumdar, observed on Monday.