Kochi: The banned CPI (Maoist) trying to gain a foothold in Kerala suffered a major setback following the death of leading woman cadre of its armed squad identified as Latha alias Meera in an attack by wild elephant inside the Nadukani forests in the Nilambur forest ranges. A statement in the name of CPI (Maoist) Western Zonal Committee spokesman Jogi claimed that the cadre was killed on the sport on August 6 in a totally unexpected attack by a lone tusker.
The statement said she was a member of the Bhavani Dalam of the CPI (Maoist). The spokesperson also expressed regret over doing the last rites dead without informing her family members and friends. A native of Kunuppally near Malampuzha in Palakkad district Latha, a district committee member of the party has been working underground for the past 15 years. Before joining in the underground she has worked as a helper in the Anganwadi in her native place. A member of the erstwhile CPI-ML (Naxalbari) she became part of the CPI (Maoist) after the two entities merged four years ago. The CPI (Maoist) has suffered a major setback in last year when two leaders Kuppu Devaraj and Ajitha were killed in Nilambur forest in an alleged encounter with security forces.
