Extremists nexus gaining strength in Kerala

Even when the State police force is struggling to effectively counter the menace of Islamist extremism, Intelligence reports have warned of a strengthening nexus among extremist Muslims, Maoists and radical Dalits in Kerala. According to sources, this nexus has of late grown into a huge security threat from the level of mere ideological associations.

Intelligence agencies say that a lack of political will on the part of the CPI(M)-led Government and shortcomings in the police preparedness are leading to the flourishing of this network. They also say that these factors had already led to serious disregard of warnings given by agencies outside the State with regard to infiltration by Maoists into Kerala and secret funds flow.

According to sleuths, Kerala has already become a favourite ground for pre-operation training and post-operation hiding for Maoists from the so-called Red Corridor. They point out that the Maoists have held several training camps this year alone in the jungles of Kerala.

The latest example of the spurt in Maoist activities was the sabotage bid on a passenger train at Nilambur in Malappuram district on the night of July 7, just three days after Islamists cut of the right hand of a professor for blaspheming Prophet Muhammad in Muvattupuzha.

Investigations into the train sabotage attempt had led to the arrest of two Maoists operatives, PK Sinik of Thrikkakkara and Sasidharan of Vadasseri, Palakkad. These arrests in turn led to several stunning revelations. Several Maoist pamphlets and books had also been recovered from the residences of these extremists. Sinik was arrested from Kavalamukkatta in Nilambur on July 22.

On the basis of statements by the two operatives, the police have now started search for hardcore Maoist Roopesh of Vadanappally, Thrissur, a practicing lawyer with a degree in automobile engineering. The police have charged cases against Roopesh, State organizing secretary of CPI(Maoist), for antinational and unlawful activities.

According to Sinik, a former automobile engineer with the KSRTC, he had reached Nilambur five months back with the mission of organizing Adivasis and to start a unit of the outfit as per instructions from Roopesh. He also reportedly told the police that the organization had planned armed actions in the State including police station attacks and modern weapons like AK47 rifles had been arranged for this.

The police have come to the conclusion that the slashing of the brake pipes of the Nilambur-Shoranur Passenger train at Nilambur station was the handiwork of the Maoists. They have also learned that Roopesh was in Nilambur from July 7 and 9. The tampering of the train’s braking system was carried out on the night of July 7.

At the same time, the nexus among Maoists, Islamists and forces outside the country became all the more obvious with the arrest of Azad’ul, a Maoist from West Bengal, while trying to exchange counterfeit Indian currencies manufactured in Bangladesh. Officials said that they were examining whether the counterfeit currencies had anything to do with Pakistan-based organizations operating in Bangladesh.

According to Intelligence officials, Dalit extremist groups in Kerala are getting assistance from Islamist forces. They said they were looking into the reports that the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of the Popular Front of India, had been associating with the Dalit Human Rights Movement (DHRM), a radical organization.

The DHRM had come under the lens of the police and Intelligence agencies after the murder of a 62-year-old morning jogger in Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram on September 23, 2009. Presently, there are reports that DHRM activists have begun regrouping after lying dormant for some time.