Kerala Police in tense standoff with armed group in Wayanad

Kerala Police engages in gun battle with Maoists in Wayanad

An encounter broke out between the Kerala Police and Maoists in a forest area in Wayanad district on Tuesday, according to a police source.

The exchange of fire took place in the Kambamala forest area in Thalappuzha in the morning, the source said.

The Maoists allegedly opened fire at a specialised 'Thunderbolt' team of the Kerala Police, which had launched a combing operation in the area based on intelligence inputs, he said.

The forces retaliated and around nine rounds of firing took place during the encounter, the source said without elaborating further.

The firing took place a week after a four-member group of suspected armed Maoists reached Kambamala, urging the people there to boycott the April 26 Lok Sabha polls.