Maoist presence likely in Kerala forests: DGP

Kerala Police has received intelligence reports of possible presence of extremist elements having links with ultra-left outfits like Maoists in the state's forests.

Kerala Police has received intelligence reports of possible presence of extremist elements having links with ultra-left outfits like Maoists in the state's forests.

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"It is suspected that extremist elements are present in the forests in Kerala. There could be groups having links with Maoists from states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha in state's forests", Director General of Police, Jacob Punnose, told reporters in Alappuzha on Tuesday.

He, however, said there was no evidence to show that they were directly engaged in any extremist activity.

State Forest minister KB Ganesh Kumar had recently said that vigil in forests had been stepped up following intelligence reports on possibility of ultra-left activists sneaking into the state.