Kundapur: Informer Goes Missing, 'Maoist Leader' Claims 'Punishment'

Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Dec 23: A person named Sadashiva Gowda alias Sadhu Gowda (50), son of Manjira Gowda from Kabbinale Tingalamatti in Karkala taluk, has gone missing since the last some days. His mobile phone has also been switched off.

In the meanwhile, a person who claimed himself to be a naxal activist, called up some newspaper offices here on Thursday evening, duly claiming that the naxals have punished Gowda for being a police informant. The caller claimed himself to be Vishwa, a Maoist leader, and said that Sadhu Gowda was punished on December 20, and that the current call was made from Gowda’s mobile phone.

It is said that in a mobile conversation made by Sadashiva Gowda to a number of a Bangalore-based media person some days ago, he had spoken about naxals, and that based on this call, the Bangalore police had tried to contact this Gowda’s number in vain. However, this information has not yet been confirmed by the police. The Bangalore police then contacted the district police department, who also failed to achieve any breakthrough. The Anti Naxal Force (ANF) based in Shankarnarayana in the taluk began search operations in the forests since Thursday evening, and so far, there is no information of any progress.

People of the area have come to believe that Sadashiva Gowda has been a police informer, and also has contacts with naxals. He was unmarried, and used to stay for some time with his father at Kabbinale, while on other days, he lived with a relative at Gundi in Edu village, Karkala taluk. He used to eke out a living by collecting forest produce and selling it. The naxals, it is gathered, initially gathered information about police movements from Gowda, as he used to frequent between the forest and human habitats. Some believe that in course of time, Gowda shifted his loyalties to ANF, which angered the naxals.

It is learnt that Sadashiva Gowda was suffering from jaundice since a month, and that he was getting treatment for the same. While some people from Kabbinale claim that he had visited the town three days ago to collect medicines for this ailment, some others say he has not been seen since a week.

In the meanwhile, district superintendent of police, Dr Ravikumar, said that the police have not received any missing complaint relating to Sadashiva Gowda, and that the combing operation in Hebri and Shankarnarayana areas by ANF is part of the contingent’s routine activities.