Suspected Naxals spotted at DK-Kodagu border, combing operation begins

Daijiworld Media Network - Sullia (EP)

Sullia, Feb 22: The forest officials of Sullia Subrahmanya range on day duty on Friday, February 21 spotted a group of six people with guns, believed to be Naxals, at the border area of Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu.  The group was found in Kadamakallu reserved forest which is known for gemstone business.

It is said that two of them were women. It is not known if they are involved in gemstone business. The forest officials suspect that they may be Naxals. Following the information, combing operation started from three different directions. It is said that footprints of the Naxals were found in the area and the locals are growing anxious.

Gemstones are said to be available in Kadamakallu reserve forest's Male, Koojumale, Soolekeri etc and it is said that the forest officials had information that the group had plans to dig the place for such stones. A group of 18 forest officials had searched there the entire night looking for them.

Forest department officials Mahantesh, Yuvaraj and Jagadish went to Suttatmale on Friday morning and passed through the way in between the plants they had walked the previous day. They sat for a while due to fatigue to drink water. Meanwhile, their dog barked. A man belonging to a group of six then approached them asked who they were in Kannada. The officials returned without revealing their actual identities. The forest officials were not wearing uniform and their guns were not visible. So the strangers' group must have assumed that they were common people.

It is said that the group of six people consisted of two women. They were wearing clothes of the same colour and carrying guns, say the forest officials who were scared as they were less in number and did not have modern weapons.

The forest officialss came to forest department's shed in Uppukala and informed the senior official. The Anti-Naxal Force has started combing operation in the forest. As many as 25 people from Balugodu, 15 from Kalmakaru Balebailu and a group from Madikeri are involved in the combing operation.

A teams led by Sullia circle inspector Satish and Subrahmanya inspector Nagesh Kadri is engaged in search operations. It is said that Naxals visit the Western Ghats often and they had visited some houses in Uppukala last time. The locals are scared suspecting that this may be an attempt by the Naxals to pull them into their group.