Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 28 (IANS): Maoist leader Soman, an accused in several UAPA cases, has been arrested in Kerala's Palakkad, said officials on Sunday.

He was arrested on Saturday night by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Kerala Police and was being interrogated at Ernakulam.

Soman is a leader of the Kabani Dalam of the Western Ghats Special Zone Committee of the proscribed Communist Party of India (Maoist).

Maoist senior leader Manoj Soman was arrested a few days ago from Kochi. Sources in Kerala Police told IANS that a detailed interrogation of Manoj Soman led to the arrest of Soman who hails from Kalpetta in the Wayanad district of Kerala.

Soman, according to police sources, has been with the Maoist movement since 2011 and has been part of the, Kabani Dalam and Nadukani Dalam of the Maoist groups.

It may be recalled that the Maoist groups have been active in many areas of Kerala adjoining forest areas.

Since the Left Front led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan assumed office in the state, eight Maoists have been shot dead.

Kuppu Devarajan and Ajith alias Kaveri, both natives of Tamil Nadu, were killed in a clash between police and Maoists in Malappuram on November 24, 2016.

On March 6, 2019, C.P. Jaleel was killed in a clash between Maoists and Thunderbolt troops at a private resort in Lakkidi. Maoists Sreemathi, Suresh, Karthi and Manivasam, hailing from Chikkamagaluru were killed during an encounter with Thunderbolt troops on October 28, 2019.

Another Maoist leader Velmurukan from Tamil Nadu was killed on November 3, 2020, in Wayanad.