Vikram Gowda’s encounter killing: Reformed Naxalites seek judicial probe, Karnataka govt defends action

Sridhar and Nagaraj returned to the mainstream successful 2014 nether an inaugural of the erstwhile Congress authorities nether Siddaramaiah. Sridhar said the civilization of encounters should not continue.

Blaming the “heartless policies” of the authorities and the convulsive way pursued by Naxals for the incident, helium said the brushwood disturbed the decade-long bid during which determination was nary unit betwixt Naxals and the constabulary forces.

“What was the crushed to hunt Vikram Gowda? When helium was not down immoderate attacks, issued immoderate threats oregon distributed pamphlets, wherefore was helium killed?” Sridhar asked, deriding the behaviour of the government. Noting the conditions faced by different reformed Naxals specified arsenic Kanyakumari and Niluvali Padmanabh, Sridhar said portion 1 was inactive successful jail, the different was struggling to wage the lawyer’s interest for warring the cases against him.

“If the authorities treats the reformed Maoists similar this, who would beryllium consenting to beryllium rehabilitated?” helium asked.

“Though Gowda was depicted arsenic a notorious Naxal leader, helium was an mean younker from the tribal assemblage who was forced into the Naxal question owed to the harassment meted to his household by the constabulary and wood departments,” Sridhar said.

The constabulary were hiding immoderate facts astir the incident, helium alleged, questioning wherefore media persons were not taken to the spot of the encounter.

The FIR filed by the ANF astatine the Hebri constabulary station, Udupi district, said that erstwhile ANF was conducting combing operations adjacent a wood astatine Nadpalu village, they spotted “three to four” gunmen. After confirming that it was Vikram Gowda and his allies of the banned Maoist organisation, the constabulary asked them to surrender.

“However, Vikram Gowda and others opened occurrence with an volition to kill. When the (ANF) unit returned fire, Vikram Gowda was deed and fell down. Others fled into the forest,” the FIR said.

Despite the activists’ concerns, the authorities authorities defended the ANF action. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the brushwood was carried retired to curb naxal activities successful the state. Karnataka announced a bounty of Rs 3 lakh for Gowda and Kerala announced different of Rs 50,000.

“He was asked to surrender, but helium did not,” the main curate said.

Home Minister G Parameshwara said Gowda had much than 60 cases, including murder, cases against him. “He had an automatic instrumentality gun. Efforts were made for his surrender successful the past with the assistance of his relatives. However, helium had not agreed to it,” helium said.