Ex-Maoist calls Gowda’s killing ‘foul’, seeks justice

Day after the encounter killing of Maoist leader Vikram Gowda by anti-naxal force (ANF), the activists and former Maoists have alleged foul play and demand accountability. Chief minister Siddaramaiah has defended the operation, calling it a necessary measure against Moaists.

Social activist and former Maoist Noor Sridhar condemned the encounter, accusing the government of using “fake shootouts” to suppress tribal voices. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Sridhar demanded an immediate judicial probe into the killing.

“The heartless policies of the government are encouraging tribal youth to become Naxalites. On one hand, the government is calling Naxalites to come into the open, and on the other hand, fake shootouts are being carried out. The government should clarify why there was a need to hunt down tribal activist Vikram Gowda. An FIR should be registered immediately and handed over for a judicial investigation,” he said.

Sridhar questioned the necessity of the encounter, pointing out the lack of recent provocations by Maoists. “What was the need to kill Vikram Gowda? They didn’t attack any police station or burnt it — nothing like that happened. Not even a pamphlet was found. There was no trouble from the Naxal side, no attack,” he said.

He warned that such incidents risk undermining the peace established over the past decade. “This legacy of bloodshed and death must not continue. There was peace in Karnataka for 10 years. There were two main reasons why we came out of Naxal life: the support of civil society and the Siddaramaiah government in 2013. But if this is not properly addressed, another phenomenon will start in Karnataka,” Sridhar said.

In response to the criticisms, Siddaramaiah defended the encounter and said that Gowda was a wanted criminal who refused to surrender despite repeated calls. “There is a standing order. We have said that if they (Naxals) surrender, they will be given all the facilities. He (Gowda) did not surrender. The Kerala government had announced ?25 lakh reward on him; our government had announced ?5 lakh reward,” he said.

In response to critics questioning the legitimacy of the encounter, heh remarked, “You should appreciate it (the encounter). Should Naxalism remain or go?”

Gowda, 46, was killed in an alleged gunfight with the ANF near Peetebailu village in Udupi district on Tuesday. Officials said that he was among Karnataka’s most wanted Maoist leaders, facing 61 criminal cases in the state and 19 in Kerala, including charges of murder and extortion.

The operation was led by Raghavendra R Naik, deputy superintendent of police (DySP), anti-naxal force (Karkala Unit) as per the FIR registered with the police. In his complaint to the police, Naik detailed how the team ambushed the area based on a tip-off about Maoists visiting houses in Peetebailu.

“We had a tip-off that Maoists are expected to visit three houses in Peetebailu area. We sat in ambush in the forest area around these houses from 5 pm on November 18. At around 6 pm, we saw Vikram Gowda and two or three others walk into the area armed with guns,” Naik said in the FIR filed with local police.

Naik recounted how the Maoists fired first after being asked to surrender. “Realising that they were Maoists, we screamed at them, announcing we were police officers and asked them to surrender. But on realising they were ambushed; they started raising slogans ‘Maovaadi Zindabad’ and began firing at us,” he stated.

He further said: “We warned them to surrender, failing which we will also have to fire. But Vikram Gowda and others continued to fire at us with the only intention to kill us. So, in self-defence, we fired at them. Vikram Gowda was hit by bullets and fell down.”

A 9mm carbine was reportedly recovered from Gowda’s body. The ANF personnel pursued other Maoists who fled into the forest but could not apprehend them. The Hebri Police registered a case against Gowda and unidentified associates under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, Arms Act, 1959, and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.