A top-notch Maoist leader, who was wanted in at the least 20 cases in the state of Kerala, along with his wife and three others complies, were arrested on Monday near the city of Coimbatore in a “big breakthrough” that is termed by the police forces of the four southern states.
Roopesh, the leader, apart from being a true Maoist, was also a law graduate, along with being a diploma holder in Information Technology, according to reports and other sources. Before he assumed charge of the Western Ghats zone of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and the role as the leader of the Maoist movement in Kerala with his wife, Shyna, he had initially joined the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), according to some media reports.
His wife, Shyna, is a former Kerala High Court employee. Further reports also state that Roopesh had authored a novel in the year 2013, which was published by two publishing houses in Kerala, as ‘Maoist’ and ‘Vasanthathile Poomarangal (Flowering trees of spring)’.
Their elder daughter Amy states that her father had gone into hiding in 2002 and her mother in 2008. Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said on Mondaynight that the arrests were made by Andhra police, following a joint operation undertaken by Andhra, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu police forces. He also remarked that this was a “big breakthrough” and could be achieved only due to ‘co-ordinated’ efforts of the four state governments. “At least five Maoists have been arrested. For the past two months, police of Andhra, Karnataka Kerala and Tamil Nadu were undertaking joint operations to nab them. The Maoists are being questioned. Roopesh will be brought to Kerala,” he concluded in his statement.
Besides the couple, others arrested were Anup from Kerala, Veeramani from Karnataka and Kannan from Tamil Nadu. The accused would be taken to Kerala for further probing, on the way to Andhra Pradesh.
Tags: Maoist Maoist leader Roopesh
