Combined effort to curb Naxal menace in Karnataka
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
BELLARY: It's hunting time for both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh police. Both have decided to take up joint combing operations against Naxals in border areas.
At a high-level meeting held recently in the city, they exchanged ideas and operational methods to catch criminals and Naxals. They have also decided to co-operate with each other to curb Naxal activities.
Naxals have been active in the border district of Bellary for past many decades. Hundreds of villages coming under 13 police stations are identified as naxal-prone.
On AP side, in areas like Kurnool, Ananthapur, Guntakal and Adoni, bordering Bellary, Naxalism has been in top gear. When AP police strengthened their activities, Naxals shifted to Bellary, said police officers.
According to the police, a few politicians and their relatives have been supporting Naxal activities in Bellary district. The son-in-law of a politician of the ruling coalition partner is closely associated with naxalite Ranga Reddy.
Ranga Reddy is notorious for his arms manufacturing and selling business, apart from involving in Naxal activities. He escaped from Bellary police a year back. But the police managed to seize a vehicle full of explosives and other arms.
Police suspect that over 30 Naxals have taken shelter in and around Bellary and the border villages of AP. They got information that these naxals have engaged themselves as fruit and vegetable vendors, sweepers and various other workers.
Lookout notices were posted at all police stations and villages of both states. Apart from combing operations, the police have taken up awareness programmes among youths, in particular. This has helped contain Naxal activities to some extent, said SP, Bellary, Amrit Paul.
Meanwhile, the Police Department suspects that Ranga Reddy is hiding either in Kerala or Tamil Nadu. Also, the police have been searching for the other two wanted persons, Seetharama Gowda and Thippeshi of Kudligi, the SP added.
Newindpress.com
posted by Resistance 4/25/2007 07:04:00 PM,
