Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Dec 24: Relating to the mysterious disappearance of Sadashiva Gowda from Tingalamakki in Kabbinale in Karkala taluk since Monday last, western range inspector general of police, Pratap Reddy, said that the policemen will be taking up cognizance of his disappearance suo moto, and begin investigations into the episode.

Gowda, an alleged police informer used by policemen to get information about naxal movement, has not been seen since about a week, and his mobile phone has been switched off. An anonymous caller who contacted some newspaper offices in Kundapur had later claimed that Gowda had been punished for betraying naxals.

Reddy, after consulting police officials, said that the superintendent of police, Ravikumar, who came to know of the incident through newspaper reports, had visited the residence of Gowda. “He was informed by Gowda’s family that Gowda often stays off home for several days at a stretch, and that they believe that he would return soon,” he disclosed. Reddy hastened to add that he cannot confirm the involvement of naxals in this incident at present, as there is no evidence on hand to come to this conclusion.

SP, Dr Ravikumar, when questioned, said that people had last seen Gowda walking towards Tengumar after buying things from a shop in Mavinakatte. He said during his visit to the family, he was told that Gowda has not been since last Monday. “I have told the family to register a missing complaint. We have no information about the handiwork of naxals in his disappearance,” he added. Ravikumar said that search operation was conducted in Moodbidri, based on the fact that Gowda’s mobile signal was last captured there. “On the basis of reports that he had been admitted into a hospital in Moodbidri after falling ill, we visited the hospitals, but could not trace him,” he explained.

Anti Naxal Force (ANF) superintendent of police, Vasudeva Murty, said that the force has no clue about the naxal angle to Sadashiva Gowda’s disappearance. He felt that the civil policemen may investigate the matter. He disclosed that the combing operations being conducted by ANF is a routine affair, and not linked to Gowda’s disappearance.