UDUPI: A group of 12 to 15 naxalites attacked the house of a schoolteacher and damaged a television set, at Nadapal in the Hebri police station limits, on Saturday.

Additional Superintendent of Police Lokesh Kumar told The Hindu that a group of 12 to 15 naxalites came to the house of a schoolteacher, Bhoja Shetty, around 7.20 a.m. Two of the naxalites entered the house. They asked Mr. Shetty to come out of the house. They told him that if he did not come out, the other naxalites would come into the house. Since Mr. Shetty was reluctant to leave the house, one of the naxalites went out to call the others. Mr. Shetty asked his family to close all the doors. He then picked up a sword, which was nearby, and with the help of his son Vijay Kumar, pushed the naxalite out of the house. Mr. Shetty and his son then got into their car and proceeded towards Hebri. Seeing this, the naxalites fired two shots through a window of the house. One bullet damaged the television set and the other pierced a wall. They said that they had come to talk to Mr. Shetty and would come again.

After reaching the main road, Mr. Shetty told his son to take the car and go to the Hebri police station, and he returned to his house. By this time, the naxalites had escaped from the scene.

Some women naxals

Mr. Shetty told the police that there were two to three women naxalites in the team. The Hebri police and members of the Anti-Naxalite Force (ANF) reached the spot within 15 minutes of getting the information. Mr. Kumar said the police and the ANF had intensified combing operations in the area. Since there was a chance that the naxalites might have slipped into Shimoga district, the police there too had been alerted. People should not panic and should not hesitate in giving any information to the police, he said.

The police have registered a case at the Hebri police station under attempt to murder, rioting, the Arms Act and other sections.

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