PALAKKAD: A woman Maoist leader who was active in the forests of the Western Ghats was killed by wild elephants recently, it was revealed on Friday.
A pamphlet published by CPI (Maoist) said Latha (Meera), a member of the Bhavani Dalam, was attacked by wild elephants at dusk on August 6 in the Naadukaani forest range.
The pamphlet said the body was cremated in the forests, and the Maoist party reportedly apologised to the woman’s family for not showing her body to them or to comrades of the outfit.
Latha, a native of Kottekad in Palakkad, was associated with the revolutionary organization since 1996. She was married to a fellow Maoist activist Moideen of Pandikaad in Malappuram. It was her second marriage; she had earlier been married to Raveendran, also a Maoist activist who died.
The pamphlet has been brought out in the name of the CPI (Maoist) Western Ghat Zonal Committee. Police are investigating it. Neither they nor the forest department have any information about an elephant accident in the forests.
Deputy superintendent of police T K Subramanian told New Indian Express that the Naadukani area falls in the Vazhaikadavu-Nilambur forest belt in Malappuram district.