Maoist leader Malli Raji Reddy remanded to 14 days judicial custody in Kerala

ALUVA (KERALA): Malla Raji Reddy, a top Maoist leader and a woman associate, who were arrested here a few days ago, was produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate and remanded to 14 days judicial custody on Wednesday.

Reddy, wanted in several cases in Andhra Pradesh and a member of the Central committee of the Peoples War Group had been arrested from Angamaly in Ernakulam district two days ago.

Reddy was taken to the sub jail here, while the woman was lodged in the Muvattupuzha sub jail. Earlier,the court rejected the Andhra Pradesh police team's request for a transit warrant on technical grounds following which they were remanded here.

There was heavy security in and around the court complex when the two were brought in. Andhra Pradesh DYSP and Circle Inspector accompanied the two to the court along with their Kerala counterparts.

Meanwhile, the arrest of the top Naxalite leader raised concerns over the likely links between a large number of migrant population across Kerala and the Naxalites.

Police said even though no incident of extremist-migrant labourer connection has surfaced, the migrant population can provide safe hideouts to extremists working underground.

With lot of workers from Bihar, Assam and West Bengal and Tamil Nadu working in Kerala in the construction industry, the employers have been asked to provide photo identity cards to these workers and submit copies to the police in the light of the recent incident.

Times of India