Movement of Naxals under police scanner
STF has taken up operations in Nilgiris
By : b. ravichandran
Update: 2014-11-14 06:11 GMT
Ooty: STF, police and foresters have joined hands for joint combing operations in the Upper Bhavani and its nearby forest areas here, bordering Kerala, to monitor suspected Naxalite movements in the wooded areas near the border.While the STF had already taken up combing operations in the Nilgiris border along Kerala after reports emanated about suspected movements of Naxalites in the Kerala jungles, the STF, in the Nilgiris, joined by police and forest teams has taken up intensified combing operations in the Upper Bhavani and Geddai belt in the south-western part of the Nilgiris bordering Kerala, over the past couple of days.
Though forest and police officials maintain that it is a routine exercise, sources in police said that there were instructions from higher ups to organize intensified combing operations at regular intervals to thwart any movement of anti-social elements in the forested borders here.
Sources said that Nilgiris SP Mr.T.Senthil Kumar himself led a team on Thursday for jungle combing operations. Combing operation teams are perambulating the jungles around Upper Bhavani and Geddai area and moving in various directions to monitor the movement of suspicious elements. Sources further maintained that movement of nefarious elements is always suspected during the monsoon as they try to move deep inside the jungles to cultivate ganja (cannabis).