Daijiworld Media Network - Sullia (SP)
Sullia, Feb 4: After three suspected naxals were sighted at Guddegadde within Kadamakal reserve forest area in Sampaje village of neighbouring Kodagu district on Friday evening, Anti Naxal Force (ANF), assisted by Kodagu district police, launched manhunt since Saturday February 3 morning. The search inside the forests did not yield any positive result till Saturday evening. Therefore, it was decided to continue the operation on Sunday. Kodagu deputy superintendent of police, Sundar Raj , said that joint combing by district police and ANF personnel are being undertaken.
The visitors who introduced themselves as naxals had visited four houses inhabited by Malekudiyas at Guddegadde village adjacent to forest region, four km away from Koyanad in Sampaje on Mani-Mysuru road. The family members revealed that the naxals who came to their houses at around 6 pm left at 8.30 pm. Immediately after coming to know about this visit, district superintendent of police, P Rajendra Prasad, and Madikeri rural station police visited the spot and conducted verification.
The suspected naxals who wore green military fatigues, directly went to the house of Guddegadde Dayanand but did not find anyone there. People said that they then went towards the house of Sankappa Malekudiya through a path in the plantation. They also handed over Rs 2,500 to the children of Sankappa, and asked them to bring provisions from shop as fast as possible. They collected items from the children by meeting them on the road through which they were returning, and hurried into the forest.
The visitors collected five kg rice from each of the four houses in Guddegadde, it is said. They told the family members that they would not harm them, and asked them too not to meddle with them or convey information about their visit. Family members said that when phone calls were received, they lent an ear about the conversation. It is said that they tried to make the families convinced of their ideals the path they have chosen.
The men said that they had to shift to this part of the forest as combing is in force in Dakshina Kannada district. They said they would next visit Shiradi ghat. The police are looking at the possibility of the visitors being not naxals, as naxals are known never to pay for food items collected by them. The naxals also do not send people away to bring provisions as they face the risk of compromising their safety in such a scenario. But their behaviour gives rise to the notion that they indeed were naxals. The police are yet to find whether the naxals who visited Addahole sometime back were from this group.
It is learnt that the police teams have been formed to comb the forest region including protected forests around Guddegadde that extends into Kerala. Close watch is being kept on points around Subrahmanya and Sullia as it is possible to enter the forest region from these places.
There had been rumour about visit by naxals in Sampaje region three years back. This region was free from their radar for three years since then. As per the information now available, naxal leader, Vikram Gowda from Udupi district was one among the three suspected naxals. The family of Sankappa confirmed his identity based on photograph shown to them by the police. Vikram Gowda, it is said,is vehemently opposed to the attempts being made by many to bring naxals back into the mainstream.