Daijiworld Media Network –  Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Mar 20: The modern SLR gun of the police department that had been snatched away by the naxals about five years ago, has been found. The police sources confirmed that the gun they recovered from naxal leader Vasant from Kutloor, who had recently been slain in an encounter near Hebri, was the one they had lost earlier.

On October 7, 2004, a gang of naxals that gate crashed into the house of Chandrashekhar in Magebail, Sringeri taluk, had beaten up a police head constable on security duty, and snatched away the SLR gun he possessed. During the later encounters and recovery of cache of arms and ammunitions hidden by the naxals, this gun had not been found.

Initially, it was thought that the gun found in the possession of Vasant belonged to army. However, after closer scrutiny, the policemen found the gun to be their own.

In the meanwhile, the anti naxal force has taken up combing operations in the forests near Hebri with renewed vigour, in view of the indications that the naxals have become active again, as evidenced by their visit to the house of Tingale Vikramarjun Hegde in Tingale village last Tuesday. Two teams of the force have been conducting detailed searches in Koodlu, Megadde, Tannir, Kabbinale, Tingalamakki etc.