Hyderabad: The Western Ghats have become the new refuge of the CPI Maoists of Andhra Pradesh.

The left-wing extremists are moving to the harsh and rocky terrain of the Western Ghats from the lush Nallamalla and Bhadrachalam forests of Dandakaranya because of the relentless operations by the State police.

It is feared that Naxal activity in Kerala, Karnataka and parts of Maharashtra will witness a spurt because of this.The State special intelligence bureau recently came to know of the movement of Maoists from Dandakaranya to Western Ghats. Police authorities had calculated that their operations would drive the Maoist outfits to Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Instead, Maoists have preferred Karnataka and parts of Western Ghats including Goa. It is believed that they would try to regroup from these areas.
 
“We have learnt that Maoists are conducting special training camps to help their cadre survive in the terrain of the Western Ghats,” said a senior police officer. The State Intelligence sleuths are keeping a tab on Maoist movements in the area now. Karnataka police have also intensified combing operations in Chikmaglur, Raichur and Malnad.

The Maoist presence in the Western Ghats was first noticed in 2001 when a tribal woman, Cheramma, suffered a bullet injury as she fired a gun accidentally at a village Menasenahadya in Chikmaglur. Since then, Maoists have been trying to establish a hold over Western Ghats.
 
But their plans were spoilt by the antics of sandalwood smuggler Veerappan and the activities of the special task force hunting him. Things have quietened down after Veerappan’s death and Maoists, who are on the run in the State, now consider the Western Ghats their best refuge.

Sources said that the Maoists were creating a corridor from Seshachalam hills of Eastern Ghats to Western Ghats via Jawadi hills, Bennari and Satyamangalam. The Maoists are also trying to expand their activities in coffee plantations in Ooty and adjoining districts of Karnataka.
 
They have been intervening in local labour disputes in these places. To resist the growing Maoist influence, coffee growers in Malnad region formed an organisation, Grameena Jagruti Sena, a couple of days ago.