THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala preferred to label the attacks on the forest offices and KFC-McDonald outlets in Wayanad and Palakkad districts on Monday as anti-social activities of miscreants, top police sources confirm that these were part of the attempts made by Maoists to gain attention.

“We are certain that the attacks were also the handiwork of Maoist outfits. Their main intention of attacking such soft targets is to gain attention.

We can’t rule out such attacks in the coming days unless basic policing is strengthened,” a senior police officer said.

At a meeting convened by Mr Chennithala here on Monday evening, police officers, including DGP K.S. Balasubramnian, stressed the need to enhance the strength in police stations in Maoist-affected areas of north Kerala.

The police have also been demanding to strengthen police stations in the naxal-prone districts of north Kerala. The Home Minister promised to allote about Rs 3 crore to fortify the police stations.

DC recently reported that despite the escalating incidents of suspected Naxal strikes, the measures prescribed to fortify these stations remained on paper. Setting up of high boundary walls, trenches and even watch towers in some police stations were the fortification measures prescribed.