NIA offers Rs 2 L for information on Maoist leaders

Posters carrying the photos of Sundari (33) alias Geetha alias Sindhu, and Mahesh (40) alias Jeyanna alias John alias Marappa have been pasted in the tribal villages in Mettupalayam and also at interstate check posts. The duo is facing several charges, including firing at police and for providing arms training to cadre.

Special units of the police have brought the tribal villages in Mettupalayam under security blanket, and search operations have been intensified in the forest areas there following alert that they were hiding in Tamil Nadu-Kerala border area.

The NIA has offered Rs two lakh for tip off on the whereabouts of the Maoists, assuring that the identity of the informant would not be revealed.

Those entering Tamil Nadu are being screened at the interstate check posts. Police vigil has also been strengthened in the wake of intelligence reports that the Maoists in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala were instigating tribal communities to take up arms against the government.