Red-ready: Karnataka to take fresh aim at Naxals
Bengaluru: The state government, which is fighting the growing Naxal influence in five districts of Karnataka, has found that 12 leaders are responsible for most of the activities.
With 11 Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) camps in five major districts, the government has planned several initiatives to put an end to their activities.
Sharing the details of Naxal leaders active in Karnataka in his written reply in the Legislative Council on Thursday, Home Minister M B Patil stated that advanced techniques will be incorporated to crack down on Naxal leaders, especially in the coastal and Malnad districts of the state.
The ANF personnel — who are conducting regular combing and ambush operations besides patrolling — will be given advanced combat training at the Jungle Combat Unit at Kukkandur in Karkala taluk of Udupi district.
Sharing the future plans in his reply to BJP leader M K Pranesh, the home minister said, “Currently, four dogs are being trained in Bengaluru which will soon be deployed in anti-Naxal operations. ANF officers and personnel have been trained at Maratha Light Infantry Regimental unit at Belagavi besides honing their skills in a joint training with Telangana’s Grey Hound unit.”
So far, the government has spent Rs 3.46 crore on various activities in the Naxal-affected regions of Karnataka. “Cases against Naxal leaders have been registered in 13 districts, including Bengaluru,” Patil stated. Though seven leaders have surrendered to the government, 12 are actively carrying out Naxal activities in isolated areas.
According to the state government, the majority of the Naxal leaders in Karnataka are women, with at least seven involved in insurgency and subversive activities. Most of these women leaders are from Sringeri and Mudigere in Chikkamagaluru district. “While Mundagaru Latha and Srimathi belong to Sringeri, Savitri, Vanajakshi, Hosagadde Prabha and Shobha are from Shivamogga district. Yet another woman Naxal Sundari hails from Belthangadi in Dakshina Kannada,” the reply said.
Similarly, Naxal leaders B G Krishnamurthy, A S Suresh, H S Ravindra belong to Chikkamagaluru district while Vikram Gowda is a native of Hebri in Karkala taluk, and Jayanna a native of Manvi in Raichur district.
The home minister also revealed that regular exchange of intelligence with Kerala is being taken up for effective operation against Naxals.