Karnataka's Leading Naxal Leader Vikram Gowda Killed In Udupi Encounter; Crackdown On Insurgent Remnants Intensifies

In a significant development, the Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) of the Karnataka Police neutralised Vikram Gowda, a fugitive Naxal leader, during a gunfight in the Kabbinale forest of Udupi district late Monday.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara confirmed the incident on Tuesday (19 November), stating it was the first killing of a Naxal leader in the state in over two decades.

Hailing from Hebri in Udupi, Vikram Gowda was considered Karnataka’s last prominent Naxal figure following the 2021 arrest of B G Krishnamurthy (alias Gangadhar) by Kerala Police.

Krishnamurthy, a senior member of the CPI (Maoist) and secretary of its Western Ghats Special Zonal Committee had played a central role in the group’s operations.

Police sources indicated that Gowda, aged 44, was part of a dwindling group of eight Naxals operating in Karnataka. With his death, only seven members remain, including four women, among whom Mundgaru Latha and Angadi Pradeep are listed as key fugitives.

The encounter reportedly occurred after Vikram Gowda and his group were spotted visiting Kabbinale village to procure supplies. Acting on intelligence, ANF personnel engaged the group, leading to an exchange of gunfire that resulted in Gowda’s death. He was carrying bounties of Rs 3 lakh from Karnataka and Rs 50,000 from Kerala.

“Last evening, there was an encounter after he was located, and he died in the firing and return firing. We have information that three Naxals escaped after Vikram Gowda was shot. ANF is continuing its searches in the region,” Parameshwara said about his death

Gowda’s involvement with Naxalism began in 2002, initially as a courier and fundraiser operating in the forests of Dakshina Kannada. He had been seen earlier this year in Kodagu district, where reports suggested Naxals were reaching out to isolated communities for support.

The Karnataka Police also confirmed sighting two other Naxals, Raju and Latha, last week, sparking intensified operations in the region. Home Minister Parameshwara reiterated the state government’s commitment to aiding those willing to surrender, saying, "The government is extending its support to those who drop their weapons and surrender before the state to rebuild their lives in the mainstream.”

Although Naxal activity in Karnataka has sharply declined since 2018, with several members shifting to Kerala and Tamil Nadu, recent reports hint at efforts to rekindle operations within the state. Gowda’s death marks a significant blow to these attempts.

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