Date:22/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/22/stories/2007122259851000.htm

Tamil Nadu

Plan to take suspected Maoists into police custody

Staff Reporter

THENI: The five suspected Maoists arrested from Varushanadu hill belonged to a seven-member gang that escaped from Murugan Malai near Periakulam in June, according to S.S. Krishnamurthy, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Dindigul Range).

Talking to reporters here on Friday after displaying arms and ammunition seized from the suspected Maoists, he said that two walkie-talkies, three rifles, two revolvers, bullets, gun powder, hand grenades, vessels, clothes, bags, food items and pamphlets were seized from them.

A special police team had arrested three Tamil extremists from Murugan Malai and seized arms and ammunition from them a few months ago. Seven persons had managed to escape. The accused arrested in Varushanadu hill were some of the missing members of this gang, he said. Superintendent of Police R. Sudhakar said pipe bombs and bucket bombs were kept on the hill. Special bomb detection and disposal squad had been summoned to dispose them of safely.

“We have plans to take the five suspected Maoists into police custody for investigation.”