Idukki : Allunnkal Sreedharan (80), former Naxalite involved in Wayanad Pulpally police station attack along with Varghese, Kunnikkal Narayanan, K. Ajitha, Thettamala Krishnanankutty, Philip M. Prasad died on Thursday. He was living incognito for 40 years at Mavadi, Nedumkandam, Idukki district under false name Nirappel Thankappan. He was living as a farmer and CPM member. He revealed his past only to two of his trusted friends and asked them to reveal the truth only after his death.
When he died on Thursday midnight, his faithful comrades informed Ajitha. The local people came to know about this only when the message sent by Ajitha was read out at the funeral. Ajitha said she lost contact with him after imprisonment for the failed police station attack, first of its kind on Kerala. Sreedharan was with Ajitha, Varghese, and Philip M Prasad in the Pulppally MSP camp attack on November 24, 1968.
He was caught and prisoned. But when released, he was punished in another case. His appeal against the verdict was rejected. He had then escaped to Idukki.
He started a new life there as a plantation labourer. He bought land and property and began cardamom plantation. He had married a woman named Sumathi. He died a natural death due to old-age illnesses.
Kerala is a shelter for all terrorists and extremists of all hues. Many Naxalites and Muslim terrorists were arrested from Kerala. it is no surprise that a hardcore Naxal could disguise as another man and escape arrest for 40 years under both CPM-led LDF and Congress led UDF regime.
