Date:11/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/11/stories/2007071160540800.htm

Tamil Nadu

CPI (Maoist) leader, two others held

Special Correspondent

Arrests made during hunt for naxalites at Tirupur

Sundaramoorthy

CHENNAI: The ‘Q’ Branch police on Monday arrested Sundaramoorthy, State secretary of the CPI (Maoist), and two others from Tirupur.

The arrests were made during the hunt for naxalites, who escaped from Murugan Malai in Periyakulam police station limits recently. It was based on information provided by Palanivel, who was nabbed at Periyakulam earlier.

Additional Director-General of Police, Intelligence, G. Nanchil Kumaran, described the arrest of Sundaramoorthy (39) of Ramaiyampatti in Dharmapuri district, who is wanted in 10 cases and was underground for the past 15 years, as a prize catch.

The others arrested were, Karthi (25) of Ammapet, Salem, and Eswaran (23) of Mettupatti, Theni. All three were arrested from Eswaran’s house. A .315 rifle was seized.

Mr. Kumaran and Superintendent of Police, ‘Q’ Branch, M. Ashokkumar, told reporters here that Sundaramoorthy was wanted in connection with cases including the murder of Manickam and Raja of Karimangalam in 1986; murder of Pandu at Naickankottai in 1992; blasting of the railway track in Dharmapuri in 1992; and attempting to start a naxal arms training camp in Oothangarai in 2002.

He was declared a proclaimed offender in the railway track blast case and non-bailable warrants were issued against him in five other cases.

A close associate of Sundaramoorthy, Karthi helped him in selecting hideouts and scouting for places to hide arms and ammunition.

Mr. Kumaran said Karthi was one of those behind organising the arms training camp at Murugan Malai. Eswaran, is a hosiery unit employee in Tirupur.

Six special parties have been formed by the ‘Q’ Branch to collect intelligence on naxalites who escaped from Murugan Malai.

Mr. Kumaran denied any intelligence failure in not nabbing the wanted persons for long.

The police were constantly hunting for them. Only during interrogation would links, if any, between Sundaramoorthy and naxalites of other States be known. “We do not have a major problem (of naxalites) to fear about.” Our (police) action is only preventive.”

The naxalite movement is under control, he said.

Police sources said interrogation may reveal whether Sundaramoorthy and Karthi had also gone to Murugan Malai and escaped from there.