The Indian Express ·
Karnataka ‘pseudo-Naxal’ held over threat linked to local polls, land dispute
The police are also investigating an extortion letter carrying the names of the Tumakuru man and a banned Naxal group.
The police in Karnataka’s Tumakuru district arrested a 45-year-old habitual offender, known locally as a “pseudo-Naxal”, in connection with cases stemming from a gram panchayat election rivalry and a long-standing land dispute with his neighbour.
Venkatesh, arrested late on Tuesday night in Pavagada, had been missing since August, when two countrymade bombs were allegedly found near his neighbour’s property.
Venkatesh’s wife is a former gram panchayat member. With panchayat elections approaching, the police suspect a rivalry between candidates and their supporters led to a series of threats.
The first case in the present sequence was registered in February after a farmer, Narsimappa, approached the police alleging he was threatened for supporting a candidate in gram panchayat elections, without naming Venkatesh.
After the police began looking into the alleged threat, Venkatesh allegedly went into hiding.
The matter resurfaced in August when his neighbour Giriyanna alleged that he found two crude bombs near his property. During the investigation, the police also came across a letter demanding Rs 5 lakh from another farmer. The letter was issued in the name of the banned “People’s War Dalam” and carried Venkatesh’s name.
The discovery prompted the police to examine whether the Naxal group’s identity was used to intimidate the farmer.
Superintendent of Police Ashok K V said, “Venkatesh and Giriyanna are neighbours and had a dispute over the boundary of their lands. During the dispute, Venkatesh is suspected to have procured countrymade bombs and placed them near the boundary of Giriyanna’s property,” he said.
The police said Venkatesh fled after the bomb case was registered. They tracked his movements and the people he contacted. He was eventually traced near the Kadamalkunte hill, where he went to meet an acquaintance.
Although Venkatesh is known locally as a “pseudo-Naxal” and the police are investigating the use of the Naxal outfit’s name in the extortion letter, Ashok clarified that the accused had no connection to the banned outfit.
“We are yet to ascertain who is behind the letter. Though it carried Venkatesh’s name, we suspect this panchayat rivalry and land dispute issue might have been misused. We are investigating,” the police officer said.
The police said Venkatesh has over 12 cases registered against him, including those related to murder, attempt to murder, dacoity, robbery, theft, offences under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and offences under the Explosives Act.
They also suspect Venkatesh possesses a pistol and has been involved in creating disturbances in the area.
