Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (SP)
Karkala, Dec 3: The police department has confirmed that no naxal group has been now active at the foot of the western ghats here, particularly Edu and surrounding villages.
Anti Naxal Force (ANF) contingents have been involved with combing the areas on a continuous basis but they have not encountered any naxal activity so far. The searches were intensified after rumours said that an armed gang of 13 naxals had visited some houses in villages like Bare, Manjottu and Bollottu near here on Thursday. However, none of this information could be substantiated.
During the friction with naxals at the residence of Bollottu Ramappa Poojary in Edu village on November 17 2003, the then Udupi superintendent of police, Murugan, and circe inspector, Ashok, had fired at and claimed the lives of naxals, Hajima and Parvathi. Another lady, Usha, had escaped narrowly.
The government, which woke to the seriousness of naxal thoughts making inroads in the lives of backward villages, made an attempt to bring those who were weaning away from the mainstream back to the society. They also released special grants and undertook development activities in these areas. Several families located inside the Kudremukh protected forest area voluntarily opted to shift from the forests to rehabilitation centres. With these developments, naxal activity dwindled over time, the police say.
Belliappa, deputy superintendent of police of ANF Karkala has asked the people not to get unduly perturbed at the rumour of renewed naxal activity. He termed these rumours as outright false.
In the recent past, there has been considerable shift among the people here from armed Maoist principles to political saffronization. In different elections held in the areas once considered as naxal stronghold were naals had asked people not take part in elections, BJP has been continuously getting voted by people. A large number of local youngsters have also joined Rashtriya Swayamseval Sangh sessions. All these have arguably driven out naxals from here.