Maoists, police exchange fire in Wayanad in Kerala

Maoist ultras and state police exchanged fire in the hilly Wayanad District in north Kerala today.
However, no one was injured, police sources said.
According to police, it was Maoists who first fired at the Thunderbolt team of Kerala Police, specially trained in tackling the ultras.
Police had gone to Chappa tribal colony at Vellamunda in Wayanad district when the Maoists sought to resist them by firing. As the police retaliated, the ultras ran away into deep forests.
Confirming the incident, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said security has been stepped up in Wayanad district by deploying additional forces.
"The incident happened around 4.30 in the afternoon. There is no need for worry. All precautionary steps have been taken. Police personnel are already there in adequate numbers and additional forces would be deployed if necessary," Chennithala said.

This was for the first time that police and Maoists are confronting face-to-face in Kerala.
Anti-insurgency forces were deployed in the hilly district about an year ago in the wake of intelligence report that Maoists had sneaked into Wayanad forests from neighbouring Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
In the 1970s, Wayanad had been a hot-bed of Naxalite activities and there had been instances of encounters with police.