'Master trainer' in Maoist activities held on TN-Ker border

A person, who was allegedly injured and managed to escape when four suspected Maoists were gunned down in Palakkad district of Kerala late last month, was arrested on Saturday, police here said.

The man, said to be a master trainer in Maoist activities, was nabbed from Moolakangal, a densely forested area near here on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border, they said.

Tamil Nadu special task force personnel were maintaining tight vigil on the border following possibility of some ultras infitrating the state in the wake of gunning down of four suspected ultras near Attappadi in Palakkad district during two-day combing operations late last month.

Police said a pen drive recovered from the place where the encounter took place revealed that a person, identified as Deepak Chandu, hailing from Chhattisgarh, was training a few people in using rifles for shooting.

Following this, the STF intensified combing operations to flush out Maoists in tribal areas, police said.

During the search, STF personnel nabbed Deepak from Moolakkangal.

Deepak, who sustained injuries on the hands and legs during the encounter, has been admitted to the government hospital here for treatment, police said.