NIA files charge-sheet against 4 accused in Thalappuzha Maoist case

New Delhi [India], May 3 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a charge-sheet against four cadres of CPI (Maoist) in a case relating to firing at the commandos of the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Kerala Police in Thalapuzha area of Wayanad district in the southern state last year, the agency said.
According to the NIA, the firing incident had occurred on November 7, 2023, when the SOG team of Kerala Police was on a combing operation in Perya, Wayanad, to track and nab armed cadres of the banned Naxal outfit, the CPI(Maoist). The team came under attack as it zoomed in on the cadres present in a house.
"In the ensuing operation, two CPI (Maoist) members, identified as Thiruvenkidam alias Chandru and Shreemathi alias Unnimaya were apprehended. Three others, including Latha alias Meera and Sundari alias Jenny, however, fled the scene of the encounter," said the agency.
It added that the NIA, which took over the investigation from Kerala Police on February 10, 2024, filed its charge-sheet today against Thiruvenkidam, Shreemathi, Latha and Sundari in the case RC-01/2024/NIA/KOC under relevant sections of IPC, UA(P)A and Arms Act.
"The agency is carrying on with its investigation and has launched a manhunt for the absconding accused Sundari, who is carrying a reward of Rs 10 lakhs, and Latha, along with another accused person," it added.