Shadow of Naxals resurfaces in Udupi
UDUPI: The body of Sadashiva Gowda, 45, who was allegedly kidnapped by naxalites on December 20, was found in a decomposed state in the deep forests of Nadpalu in Karkala taluk.
The body was found in a sitting posture under a tree, with both the hands tied to the front. A placard with the message “Police Mahithidararige Takka Shasthi Madiddeve” (we have taught the police informers a lesson) was placed under the tree.
ANF Inspector General Alok Kumar confirmed to media that Gowda’s relatives had identified the body. Udupi SP Ravi Kumar, who was also present, said further details could be obtained only after investigation. Gowda’s younger brother Raju and his relatives found it difficult to identify his body, as it was totally decomposed.
Sadashiva Gowda, a resident of Thingalamakki in Nadpalu village, was last spotted in Mavinakatte, purchasing grocery items from a petty shop. Gowda was unmarried and used to venture deep inside forests for days together and collect forest produce and sell them in nearby towns upon return. Prior to shifting to Nadpalu he was residing in Gundi near Hebri town.
A mediaperson in Kundapura reportedly received a phone call from one Vishwa who claimed to be a naxalite, who said that Gowda was taught a lesson for being a police and media informer. Except for that phone call, there was no other formal claim from the naxalites or members of the CPI (Maoist). Following the rumour that Gowda had been kidnapped by the Anti-Naxalite Force, the police had intensified combing operations in the forests of Nadpalu, Mutlupadi, Kabbinale, Edu, Nooralbettu, Naravi, Shirlalu and other areas.
Udupi SP had ruled out the kidnap of Gowda by naxalites saying there was no demand for a ransom or any other demand from them.
Udupi’s Brush With Naxals
Naxalites had killed Bhoja Shetty, a teacher and his relative Rajesh Shetty in Nadpalu on May 15, 2008. They had killed one Keshava Yadiyala, a landlord and BJP leader, on December 7, 2008. In 2009, a gram panchayat candidate and another forest personnel had been kidnapped by naxalites.
Shadow of Naxals resurfaces in Udupi - southindia - Karnataka - ibnlive
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Maoist stirs hit railway freight
Maoists’ disruption of railway services on the border of the district has posed a big problem to railway freight traffic, particularly on the Kottavalasa and Kirandul (KK line), a single line between Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
The Kottavalasa and Kirandul line comes under the Waltair division of the East Coast Railway, and is one of the best railway lines for freight traffic in the Indian railways.
Sources said that the division would lose nearly two to three per cent of the total goods earnings due to Maoist activities such as derailment of empty rakes, freight wagons, locomotives, removal of tracks over long stretches and snapping of communication links along the route, etc. Iron ore movement along the 450 km KK line remained suspended for a few days recently.
The KK line is exclusively dedicated to transporting millions of tonnes of iron ore from Bailadila, the location of the National Mineral Development Corporation’s mines in neighbouring Chhattis-garh to meet the requirement of the Visakhapat-nam Steel Plant and several other steel manufacturing plants besides some coastal movement through the Visakhapatnam Port to other parts of the globe.
While admitting Maoist disruption of freight traffic through the KK line, the Waltair divisional railway manager, Mr N. Kasinath, said on Tuesday that despite this, the division could handle freight traffic on the line.
Maoist stirs hit railway freight | Deccan Chronicle