A Maoist was killed in an exchange of fire between the Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) and Maoists near Kulkunda in Sullia taluk on Tuesday night. Following information that Maoists, armed with powerful weapons like AK-47s, had been spotted in the region since one week, a ANF team was conducting a thorough combing operation in the forest. Two days ago, the Maoists and ANF exchanged fire in the forest near Kulkunda, but there was no casualty.
The ANF team, which had been for combing deep into the forest, were challenged by the Maoists on Tuesday night around 8 pm, who had settled at a camp in the deep forest at Cheru. “The Maoists did not expect us to go combing deep in the forest and thus had put up a camp there thinking it is safe. But, on Tuesday night, when they confronted the ANF team, they fired at our team. In retaliation, ANF officials, headed by deputy commandant Shankar and assistant commandant V.S. Nayak, fired at them. One of the Maoists was killed in the exchange of fire,” ANF IGP Alok Kumar, who visited the spot, told Deccan Chronicle.
“The dead Maoist is suspected to be from the team of Vikram Gowda. We had information that the Maoists team was spotted in the region, armed with AK 47s. However, the identity of the dead person is yet to be established,” Mr Kumar said. According to sources, the place where the incident took place is in the deep forest, about 6 hours by walk from Kulkunda Cross, coming under Kadaba police limits. Kulkunda is about 2 km from Kukke Subrah-manya.
It is suspected that there were about 5-6 Maoists of whom two spotted the ANF and fired at them. Though others managed to escape, one was killed by the ANF. As the incident took place deep in the forest and with no network, it was difficult for the police to communicate. Police have seized two SBBL guns, one country-made pistol, 12 cartridges, two tents, ration items, vessels and literature in Tamil and Kannada from the spot.