The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has seized control of the investigation into a fierce 2023 shootout between Kerala police commandos and armed CPI (Maoist) cadres deep in the misty Uruppumkutti forests of Kannur district. Sources revealed on Thursday that the NIA has re-registered the FIR before its Kochi court, signaling a nationwide dragnet to dismantle the outlawed group's operations in southern India.
The probe, now in high gear, targets key suspects through interrogations of recently surrendered or arrested Maoist activists across Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, aiming to unravel the network behind the brazen ambush that nearly claimed police lives.
The deadly clash erupted on November 13, 2023, during a routine combing operation by the elite Thunderbolt unit—the Kerala Police's specialized anti-Maoist force—near Njettithodu in the dense Uruppumkutti forest under Karikottakari police station. According to the FIR, eight heavily armed members of the CPI (Maoist)'s Kabani Dalam, part of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), had infiltrated the area for an unlawful assembly.
Spotting the approaching commandos, the rebels unleashed a hail of bullets, firing with clear intent to murder officers and disrupt law enforcement duties. The exchange of gunfire echoed through the rugged terrain, highlighting the Maoists' persistent threat in Kerala's forested hinterlands, where they have long exploited remote geographies for recruitment and hit-and-run tactics.
Legal charges in the case invoke a formidable arsenal of statutes, including multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for attempted murder and conspiracy, the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for terrorism-related offenses, the Arms Act for illegal possession of weapons, and the Kerala Forest Act for unauthorized entry into protected areas.
Notably, no specific individuals have been named as accused yet, allowing the NIA broad latitude to build its case through intelligence-led pursuits. This anonymity underscores the shadowy nature of Maoist operations, where cadres often operate under aliases and shift bases fluidly across state lines.
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A poignant postscript to the encounter came a month later when CPI (Maoist) spokesperson Jogi, head of the Western Ghats Special Zonal Committee, issued a rare public statement claiming that one female cadre, Lakshmi alias Kavitha, had died from wounds inflicted during the firefight. Police sleuths had earlier pieced together that the Kabani Dalam was holding a clandestine meeting in the forest, plotting potential strikes against security forces.
This revelation not only confirmed the group's involvement but also exposed vulnerabilities in their command structure, prompting a surge in surrenders among low-level operatives disillusioned by the cycle of violence and isolation.
This NIA takeover mirrors a pattern of federal intervention in Kerala's Maoist hotspots, marking the sixth such case handed over to the agency in the state. Just last year, the NIA assumed charge of a parallel shootout at Thalappuzha in Wayanad on November 8, 2023—mere days before the Kannur incident—leading to several arrests that crippled local cells. Those breakthroughs yielded vital leads on funding streams, arms smuggling routes, and ideological indoctrination networks spanning the Western Ghats.
As interrogations ramp up, experts warn that the current probe could trigger a domino effect, pressuring more insurgents to defect and eroding the Maoists' grip on southern enclaves. With Kerala emerging as a Maoist flashpoint amid broader national efforts to eradicate left-wing extremism by 2026, the NIA's role is pivotal in bridging state-level responses with a coordinated counterinsurgency strategy.
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