Explosive device found buried in Wayanad village amid reports of Maoist presence

Wayanad (Kerala): An explosive device was found buried in a village in this hill district, where the presence of armed Maoists has been frequently reported, police said on Tuesday.

The device was detected in the Makkimala area under the Thalappuzha police station limits during the combing operations of the Kerala police's elite force, Thunderbolt.

Although local media reports suggested that it was a landmine, the police have not confirmed it.

It was later neutralised, they said.

The presence of a Maoist group belonging to the Western Ghats' Kabanidalam has been reported in various forest fringe areas in Thalappuzha on many occasions.

Last month, an encounter had occurred between the Kerala Police and Maoists in the Kambamala forest area.

In October last year, a group of suspected Maoists, armed with sophisticated weapons, had arrived at a private resort at Makkimala and taken control of the manager's mobile phone to send a statement to the media regarding issues faced by estate workers.