With the recovery of one more body from the forests on Tuesday, the toll in Kerala police-Maoist encounter in Agali in Palakkad district rose to four, police said. Three Maoists were killed in the encounter on Monday.
The body of Manivasakam, a leader of the Kabani ‘dalam’ of Naxalites, was recovered during a search by the commandos of the state police, called ‘Thunderbolt.’ Exchanges took place on Tuesday also when commandos cordoned off the area looking for injured Maoists.
Police said the encounter took place after the patrol party came under heavy firing from Maoists. Commandos retaliated immediately and later three bodies were recovered from the encounter site. Police said they suffered no casualties and did not rule out more deaths. They said they had information that ‘Kabani dalam’ workers of the Naxal group were planning to re-group in the area.
But opposition parties have sought a detailed inquiry into the latest killings. “We are against the ideology of Naxalites. But it is highly improper to eliminate them ruthlessly,” said state opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala. Earlier, Congress MP from Palakkad VK Sreekandan had also expressed doubts over the encounter.
