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.
