BENGALURU: Expressing doubts over the police encounter in which 46-year-old Vikam Gowda alias Vikram Gowdlu was killed at Hebri in Udupi on Monday night, naxalites turned social activists demanded a probe monitored by a retired judge to ascertain if the encounter was real or fake.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, former naxalites Noor Sridhar and Sirimane Nagaraj demanded registering an FIR and a thorough probe in this matter, like in all other encounter cases. Refuting claims that Gowda was a big naxal leader, they stated that all cases registered against him were fake, which is common for all Naxalites.
What was the reason to kill Vikram? Vikram or his team members never attacked the policemen or had killed anybody or even threatened anybody. What was the necessity or urgency of such killing? Who gave the license to kill somebody just because they were having guns? The police department has to answer all these questions. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should immediately order for a thorough probe monitored by a retired judge, they urged.
Vikram’s family had 14 guntas of land. They were given notice to vacate the land in the name of a national park. Vikram then actively participated in protests in the area from 1998 to 2004 as part of the Karnataka Vimochana Ranga. He and his family members were harassed by the forest and police departments. In 2003, Parvati and Hajima were killed near Hebri. After this the police made life hell for Vikram and friends. Vikram was dragged to the police station and tortured.
No matter what happened, he was pulled to the station. In the name of inquiry, he was beaten and humiliated. Without finding a way to live a peaceful life, an innocent tribal youth Vikram became a Naxal.
The government portrayed him as a big naxal leader by hoisting false cases and finally he was encountered, the reformed Naxals said.
They blamed governments’ policies and harassment by authorities for tribals turning towards Naxalism. “It is true that the government has called the naxals to return to the mainstream by surrendering arms. Heeding the call, many came to the mainstream between 2014 and 2018. Civil society embraced us who came first. But what about those who came after us? Adivasi young woman Kanyakumari is in the Bengaluru Central Prison for the last eight years. Her son spent his childhood between the four walls of the prison for six years and now he has come out.
There are around 58 cases filed against her by the police. There are no signs that they will end. Another naxal, Padmanabha, has got bail, but for the past few years, his job has been to wander to the court,” they added.
Vikram Gowda was given chance to surrender: Siddaramaiah
BENGALURU: A day after Naxal leader Vikram Gowda was shot dead in an encounter by the Anti-Naxal Force, CM Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said he was given a chance to surrender, but he did not. Home Minister G Parameshwara, too, said Gowda was on the wanted list. After some people raised questions over the encounter, the CM told reporters that Vikram Gowda was a wanted criminal. The Kerala government had announced a Rs 25-lakh reward and Karnataka Rs 5-lakh reward to those who helped police nab him, he added. Parameshwara said Vikram had weapons with him, and if police had not fired, he would have attacked them. “Vikram was involved in more than 60 criminal cases, including murder. He had a machine-gun,” he said. The minister explained that the ANF headquarters in Karkala is constantly monitoring Naxal activities.
Last rites performed in Kudlu, sister, locals present
UDUPI: The final rites of Vikram Gowda, were conducted at Kudlu of Nadpal village in Hebri on Wednesday. The body was handed over to the family members on Wednesday after the post-mortem at a private hospital in Manipal. The funeral rituals were performed by the deceased Naxal’s younger brother, Suresh, in the presence of his younger sister, Suguna, and local residents. Security arrangements were in place. However, there was slight panic after the ambulance carrying his body went to the extreme right of the road, since a cattle suddenly crossed the road. The SP clarified that no accident or injuries were reported. Suguna told reporters that though his brother Vikram Gowda had distanced himself from the family after he joined naxal movement, they wanted him to be cremated at their family owned land.
