Daijiworld Media Network – Shimoga (SP)

Shimoga, Aug 20: Since the last two days, rumours have been flying thick and thin, about the death of Hosagadde Prabha, a naxal leader from Hosagadde, a village near Agumbe in Tirthahalli taluk in the district.

Rumours say that Prabha, a prominent leader of the naxals operating in the Western Ghats, had been suffering from Asthma. She had got herself treated at St John’s Hospital in Bangalore. As her condition did not improve, she got herself admitted into a private hospital in that city, but died on Wednesday August 18, reports said. Even though there are claims that four of her associates were bringing her body to her native place in a car, there is no trace of either the car or the body so far.

Some sources said that her body was taken to the forest region in Tirthahalli taluk, where her associates cremated the body. They also claim that naxal leaders including Krishnamurty, a naxal leader and husband of Prabha, were present at the cremation. It is reported that Krishamurty too is suffering from high bood pressure and diabetes. However, police sources claim that they do not have any information about the disposal of Prabha's mortal remains.

Speaking to reporters and policemen who frequented his hut in Hosagadde, Narayan Shetty (66), father of Prabha, said the he had repeatedly advised his last daughter to get educated and join some job, and not to get involved with other things. “She did not listen, and went away. We have no concrete information either about her present whereabouts or death,” he said. Shetty, who has married away his two elder daughters, says that he is confused whether to rely on the reports coming in the television and the media about the death of his daughter.

“Prabha, now 28, went to Shimoga to pursue PU education after attending high school in Agumbe. For degree education, she used to go to Sringeri college, but soon got involved with some group of social activists. Since then, I did not get any information about her. I gathered from the policemen that she was living in the forests,” Shetty, who lives alone after the marriage of his second daughter recently, and who ekes out a living out of an agricultural land he owns, as well as by working as a cooly, said.