Coimbatore: The Kerala police arrested a commander of the People's Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA), an armed wing of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), from a tribal settlement near Agali in Palakkad district on Thursday evening. The Maoist, A Kalidass alias Sekar, 47, of Pannaiyapuram near Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram district, was absconding since 2003. He was the mastermind behind the attack on forest range office in Mukkali in Palakkad district in December 2014. He is the member of the state committee of CPI (Maoist).Police sources said that he was arrested by the Karimangalam police in Dharmapuri district on January 28, 2001. Later, he was arrested in connection with a case by Q branch, Dharmapuri in February 2001. He came out on bail on May 3, 2002 and again he was arrested by Marandahalli police in June 2002. He came out on bail in August 2003 and he did not attend the hearing in court in Dharmapuri.Meanwhile, a non-bailable warrant was issued against him and he went absconding since November 2003.The sources also added that he was facing an attempt to murder charges along with more than 20 people in Krishnapuram police limits for assaulting one person named Mani from Naickenkottai for his anti-naxalite activities. Q branch police had announced that he is the most wanted person and installed flex banners about the wanted Maoists accused persons details in various parts of Coimbatore and Nilgiris district."He was not very active for the last few years. However, the Kerala police managed to trace his whereabouts in a tribal settlement on Thursday evening and detained him," said a senior police officer. But sources said that he surrendered before the police as he is unwell. However, the Kerala police refused to furnish full details about Kalidass. A Q branch team from Coimbatore rushed to the spot and planned to interrogate him.Maoists are trying to establish their base in tri-junction of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka state. Their aim is to form a 'red-corridor' from Kollur of Karnataka to Mudhumalai of Tamil Nadu by joining Kollur, Udupi, Sirungeri, Bethangadi, Kodagu, Madikeri, Subrmanya, Siradikavu, Wayanad, Pandalur, Cherambadi, Nadukani, Nilambur, Kozhikode, Bhavani, Attapadi and Badipur comprising three states -Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.Following the detention of the commander of LPGA, the Coimbatore rural police have strengthened armed police personnel at Walayar, Velanthavalam, Ramapattinam, Meenakshipuram, Mangarai, Pattisalai, Veerappagoundenpudur, Vadakkukadu, Zaminkaliyapuram, Chemmanampathy, Mulli, Nadupuni and Attakatti near Valparai."We have increased policemen strength in another 23 check posts in the district," said superintendent of police Pa Moorthy.

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