Daijiworld Media Network - Chikkamagaluru (SP)

Chikkamagaluru, Feb 19: The naxals, who had a subdued existence in the Western Ghat region since sometime, gave evidence of their presence in the region by pasting wall posters in Bukudibail region near Sringeri in the district. This development has been giving anxious moments for the people from the area, who will be casting their votes for zilla and taluk panchayat elections on Saturday.

On Thursday morning, people from the village saw that wall posters calling for poll boycott had been stuck to the walls of a provision store, some other buildings, bus shelter, and water tank at Bukudibail in Nemmar panchayat limits. The wall posters have asked people to boycott the polls to register protest against Kasturirangan report and tiger reserve project. The posters have also given call for providing permanent drinking water projects to each of the villages, power supply, repair of turbo, bridges for rivulets and asphalting of roads. The naxals have also demanded to vest with the farmers permanent rights of cultivation in place of ad hoc permission being given now.

The posters also stress the need for construction of a bridge across Hemmige rivulet immediately and asked people to fight against the plan of the government to evict residents of forests incthe name of voluntary relocation. The creators of these posters have claimed themselves to be Maoists.

Policemen rushed to the spot immediately after coming to know of the incident, collected the posters, and registered a case. Anti Naxal Force too has begun to intensify its operations against the naxals.