Mangalore: Morale of ANF High, Good Response to Govt's Naxal Package - DGP

Pics: Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (PS)

Mangalore, Apr 12: On his first visit to the city after becoming DG-IGP, A R Infant told the media at a press meet here on Thursday April 12 that he inspected th Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) in Karkala, Sringeri and surrounding places and found it to be satisfactory.

"Yesterday and today I inspected various places in Karkala, Sringeri and the surroundings and found that their morale is very high and they are working with full enthusiasm," he said.

He further said, "The Naxal package provided by the government to encourage them to surrender has received good response. Many who are involved in Naxalism have come to the mainstream and we are encouraging them."

"Already three have surrendered and more are on their way. The process of rehabilitation is under way," he said.

He however pointed out that Naxals indulging in crime will be dealt under law and police will resume their operation against them.

To query, he said that there were 40 hardcore Naxals in the state as of now. Regarding investigation into ANF personnel Mane who was killed in an encounter in Beltangady some months back, he said that a B-report has been filed in the case.

Asked why the ANF has not been made a permanent force still, he said a proposal is before the government in this regard.

On Vittal, a student of Mangalore University who was arrested last month, he said Vittal had regular contact with Naxals and was providing them with logistics support. "It is not like police have arrested him for no reason," he said.

Asked if Vittal would be given any liberty on the grounds that he was only a Naxal sympathiser and not directly involved, Infant said that it is difficult to draw lines between a sympathiser and a Naxal.

He also said that the calls made to Vittal's number are under investigation.

On the possibility of recruiting tribals to ANF by relaxing age and qualification requirements, he said as of now there is a technical problem in making such recrutment, but it will be done for home guards very soon.

To a question regarding terror-accused Riyaz Bhatkal's aide being in Mangalore, he brushed aside the question saying that there was no such information, but if anything came up an investigation would be initiated.

Asked to comment on his tiff with ousted DG-IGP Shankar Bidari, Infant chose to steer away from the matter stating that the matter was subjudice and he wouldn't like to say anything on it.

City police commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh who was also present, when asked about the progress made in the 2011 Panjimogeru double murder case, said that the case had been handed over to CID.

ADGP Dr Harshavardhan Raju and IGP Pratap Reddy were present.