Maoists eye `tri-junction` in southern states

CPI (Maoist) is trying to develop a `tri-junction` in southern states in its efforts to spread left wing extremism, according to a document.

Ranchi: The CPI (Maoist) is trying to develop a "tri-junction" in southern states in its efforts to spread left wing extremism (LWE), according to an official document.

"...The party (CPI-Maoist) is trying to develop the tri-junction of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as a suitable operational base," according to a six-page letter sent to 13 states, including Jharkhand, by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Tamil Nadu remains largely unaffected by the Maoists, the letter said, adding that some party (Maoist) activity was found in Karnataka and Kerala.

Maoist activity not necessarily meant violence as it comes at the fifth stage of the Maoist strategy, it said.
Noting that evidence was visible in recent efforts by the CPI (Maoist) to spread the LWE movement in the south, the letter said the Malenadu region of Karnataka witnessed "increased Maoist activity, of late".

The Malenadu region comprises of Chickmagalur, Shimoga, Udupi, Hassan, Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada districts of Karnataka and Maoist documents state Malenadu "as the strategic midrib of peoples` war in Karnataka...," the letter said.

The letter based on the intelligence assessment as on March 8, 2013, said the recent recovery of a party (CPI-Maoist) document in Kerala`s Kannur indicated formation of a "Western Ghats Special Zonal Committee" which would include Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, "but details are still not available".
Quoting the document, the letter said the Maoists intended the tri-junction as Western Ghats were "selected" by some foreign countries to study "Bio-Technology".

The tribals would be isolated following the foreign focus on Bio-Technology in the forest reserves such as Kudremukh, Pushpagiri, Nagarahole, Mudumalai and Satyamangalam, it said.

The letter said efforts to revive the Maoist movement in Karnataka were in evidence, particularly in the tri-junction of the three states, seven years after the Karnataka Maoist unit received a setback following a determined police action and a split in the rebel ranks.
According to Kerala state intelligence, the letter said, the banned outfit has recently formed a nine-member State Committee.

The letter is based on an intelligence assessment on the Maoists effort at expansion.
PTI