“The modus operandi of the Maoists is simple. Villagers gullible enough to join the group are made accomplices in incidents of dacoity and murder. They then go underground and have little option but join the Maoists,” said a senior police officer, part of the present anti-Maoist operation. “We believe the handful of active Maoists were in the process of recruiting villagers and have not been very successful,” said the senior officer.

But, back in E Pudukkottai, it is a different story. S Bhaskaran, a senior DMK functionary in the village, whose wife Latha is a panchayat president, pointed out that Velmurugan, a law student, and one of those nabbed by the villagers in Murugamalai and hailing from E Pudukkottai, had successfully formed a committee and roped in about 50 village youths as members. But before he could initiate them into the movement, Velmurugan was caught.