The Hindu : Front Page : Five ‘naxalites’ killed in encounter

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Wednesday, Jul 11, 2007
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Five ‘naxalites’ killed in encounter

Karnataka Bureau

CHIKMAGALUR/BANGALORE: Karnataka State Committee member of the Communist Party of India (Maoists) Gowtham (35) and four others, also suspected to be naxalites, were killed in an “encounter” with the police near Menasinahadya village in Chikmagalur district on Tuesday morning.

Three policemen were injured in the gunbattle between the “naxalites” and the police team, which comprised personnel from Chikmagalur and the Anti-Naxalite Force (ANF). According to the police, two “naxalites” managed to escape during the encounter that took place around 7.30 a.m. at Modeyarmath village in Narasimharajapura police station limits.

On a tip-off that some “naxalites” and their supporters were holding a meeting at the house of Rame Gowda at Wodeyarmath area, the police cordoned off the area around 7.30 a.m. When they told the “naxalites” to surrender, they reportedly refused to do so and instead opened fire at the policemen. When the police retaliated, five persons, including Rame Gowda (50) and his wife Kaveri (40), were killed, the police said.

Inspector-General of Police (Western Range) Ashit Mohan Prasad told The Hindu that they recovered one sten gun, a country-made pistol and a spent hand grenade from the site. Although the “naxalites” had hurled the hand g renade at the police, it did not explode. The local police and the ANF staff had intensified combing operations in the area. The two others killed were identified as Paramesh (30) and Subramanya (25).

Mr. Prasad said Raghava, a District Armed Reserve constable, who was seriously injured, had been admitted to Kasturba Medical College Hospital at Manipal. Two other constables, Basavaraj and Jayanna, suffered minor injuries.

Menasinahadya tense

Tension prevailed in Menasinahadya when people protested against the killing of five “naxalites” in the encounter. Police rushed additional forces to the village.

Unconfirmed reports reaching Mangalore said that people did not allow the police to shift the bodies of those killed alleging that those killed were innocent people. Sources said people chopped down trees on the road leading to Menasinahadya and were adamant that they would not allow the police to shift the bodies for post-mortem or last rites.

Jeep torched

Angry villagers allegedly torched a police jeep in retaliation to the police action against suspected naxalites in Menasinahadya. Villagers complained about being persecuted constantly by the police as well as the naxalites. According to reports reaching here, the people allegedly damaged a bridge leading to the village, cutting off direct road access to the region.

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