R B Jagadish
Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (SP)

Karkala, Nov 5: During the last two days, Veeramani alias Shankarappa alias Vajramuni (57), a noted Naxal activist based in Tamil Nadu, was subjected to interrogation by a team of criminal investigation department (CID) from the state. CID deputy superintendent of police, Chandrashekhar, led the investigatng team. It is gathered that the team has completed its task.

Therefore, as per the orders passed by the local court, Veeramani, who has been accused of his involvement in the murders of Bhoja Shetty and Suresh Shetty from Hebri Nadpal Seetanadi sometime back, has been sent back to Coimbatore jail.

In connection with some cases there, Tamil Nadu police had arrested Veeramani a few months back. He had been brought here on the basis of body warrant by the state police, as he was an accused in the above cold-blooded murders purportedly committed by Naxals. The Naxals had branded the victims as police informers against Naxal activities. In this case, 11 persons, identified as Manohar, Sanjeev Kumar, Vasant alias Anand, Devendra alias Vishnu, B J Krishnamurty, Nandakumar, Neelaguli Padmanabha alias Harish, Chandrashekhar, Ramesh Kumar, Veeramani, and Asha alias Sudha alias Pallavi alias Pavitra were named as accused. All of them are Naxals, policemen claim.

A gang of Naxals had attacked Bhoja Shetty at his home, accusing him of siding with the police and passing information to them about the Naxal movement in the area. Bhoja Shetty had fought with the attackers valiantly by brandishing a sword he had at his home. The gang, which fired at him, went back, but came back with vengeance sometime later, and succeeded in killing Shetty, a teacher by profession.

A team of policemen led by Hebri station house officer, Seetaram, and armed members of Anti Naxal Force have accompanied the accused in his journey to Coimbatore.

A team of police led by Hebri station house officer, Seetaram, had brought accused Veeramani to the taluk government hospital here on Wednesday November 4 morning. Chief medical officer of the hospital, Dr Jnanesh, who checked his health, declared him to be fit. When he was escorted back to the jeep, Veeramani surprised the gathering and passersby by raising pro-Naxal slogans.

The main crux of his slogans were demand to withdraw Anti Naxal Force from malnad region, stop harassing people residing inside forests, long live Naxalism, Inquilab Zindabad, Naxalism zinadabad etc.