Daijiworld News Network - Karkala (GA)

Karkala, Aug 23: After a long hiatus, Naxalites have once again struck at Kerekatte near Shringeri in the early hours of Wednesday August 23.  The reports said that a group of 10-12 Naxalites attacked forest department office at Kerekatte, destroyed all records and even set a jeep on fire.

The Naxalites, who came to the forest department office on Wednesday morning, assaulted the night duty staff and chased them out.  Later they destroyed many files, records from the office.  Before going, they set the department jeep on fire.

The Naxals have left many pamphlets and other materials related to Naxal movement in the office.  The forest department files which were destroyed by Naxalites contained details about encroached land and also about the forest department land in the area.

Since Kerekatte is a small and remote place, there are not many persons travelling in the area in the night or in the early mornings.  Moreover, the area has been regarded as the Naxal hamlet and government has declared it as reserve forest area.  All these facts have made it quite impossible for the people to go around the area in the odd hours.

Taking advantage of this, Naxalites attacked the office around 1 am on Wednesday and after completing their work, left the place at about 4 am.  However, police came to know about the entire episode only in the morning.