Kottayam: Police have begun investigations into reports that the banned outfit SIMI had conducted an arms training camp at Kolahalamedu area near the tourist spot Vagamon a few months back.

Based on intelligence reports, a police team yesterday visited the area and gathered information from local people about the camp which was believed to have been attended by about 30 activists, including one Shibly who was later arrested in Indore in connection with a blast case.

According to police sources, information gathered by the intelligence agencies and police was that the camp was attended by SIMI activists from different states as local people said they heard "unfamiliar" languages being spoken by those present at that time. The words "SIMI" was found written in bold letters on a rock in nearby Thangalpara.

The spot for the camp, in the tri-junction of Kottayam, Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts, was carefully chosen as it was remotely located and its residents were mostly migrant labourers working in nearby estates, police sources said.

Activists of the outlawed outfit from Erattupetta town in Kottayam District, from where Shibly hailed, were suspected to have played a key role in organising the camp in high secrecy, police sources said. Kerala Government had recently wanted the ban on SIMI to continue as the outfit was still active in some pockets of the state.
Source : PTI