Madikeri: Just when people had started breathing easy assuming that the three Maoists who had appeared in Koyanadu of Kodagu district may have left the district, the news of three armed men showing up in Naladi village of Napoklu has unleashed a sense of fear again.
It is said that three Maoists entered the line accommodation (house given to plantation workers) of Pemmaiah at about 5.30 pm on February 19 and demanded the family to cook some ‘mutton curry’ for them. Petrified family members stirred up some lip-smacking mutton delicacy, which the trio relished and left around 10.30 pm threatening the family of dire consequences if they revealed outsiders about their visit. They also took away 40 kgs of rice and some other essential commodities from the house.
Pemmaiah revealed about the incident only on February 20. SP P Rajendra Prasad and team visited Naladi. The police sources suspect that naxal leader Vikram Gowda himself could be one of the three.
Combing starts:
Close of the heels of this incident, the Anti-Naxal Force started combing operation o n Tuesday and are likely to continue even on February 21 in Naladri Tadiyandamol hills, Napoklu, and surrounding areas. According to the sources, ANF was kept alert in Sullia, Kukke Subrahmanya regions on the backdrop of BJP President Amit Shah’s visit. So, Naxals might have moved towards Kodagu region.
A similar group of three-men was identified in the Koyinad region of Kodagu- Dakshina Kannada border on February 2. There was information that it included most wanted Naxal, Udupi-based Vikram Gowda. Police have doubted that the group which found in Mitta Majal of Shiradi village of Uppinangady on January 16, might have moved to this region.
