Karnataka (Maoist Insurgency): Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2013

A splinter group of alleged Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) set ablaze a van belonging to a former Gram Panchayat (village level local self-government institution) member at Kuthlur village, on the fringes of the Kudremukh National Park, in South Kannada District, early on November 9, reports The Hindu. The group, comprising around 15 people, accused the gram panchayat member, who is an environmental activist, of “aiding the government in displacing the tribal people.” The Maoists, all below the age of 30, knocked on the door of Ramachandra Bhat (42), the former gram panchayat member and currently working for the non-governmental organisation, Wild Cane, that seeks to rehabilitate villagers in the national park, and asked him to come out. When he refused, they set fire to a shed and van parked there. They also set fire to a two-wheeler. The Police said the ‘Maoists’ did this in protest against what they termed as forcible eviction of tribals from the park area. Read less...

A group of suspected Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres attacked a forest check-post near Sringeri in Chikmagalur District on November 17, reports The Hindu. They ransacked the check-post, broke windowpanes and tiles and left behind a banner carrying a message to the State Government urging it to stop combing operations by the Anti-Naxal Force.The two forest guards, who were at the check-post, were not hurt in the incident. Abhishek Goyal, Superintendent of Police, quoting the forest guards as saying, said that four people, who claimed to be Naxals (Left Wing Extremists), entered the check-post and damaged the windowpanes and some tiles. Read less...

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the State government has taken a serious note of the spurt in Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) activities in the coastal Districts and directions have been issued to resume full-scale combing operations and increase night patrolling in vulnerable areas, reports The Hindu. Addressing a press conference in Gurmitkal in Yadgir District on November 20, Siddaramaiah reiterated the government’s offer of talks with the Maoists to solve issues raised by them. “However, the Maoists should give up their armed struggle and come for discussion to settle their problems within the framework of the law and Constitution,” he said. Read less...

The red corridor is expanding with three southern States — Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala — trying to get the Left Wing Extremist (LWE) status from the Centre, reports The Hindu on November 23. The move, which comes ahead of next year's Lok Sabha (lower house of the Parliament) polls, is based on "intelligence reports" suggesting that the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) is trying to strengthen its South West regional bureau in the tri-junction of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karanataka. The grant of LWE status would mean extension of special infrastructure schemes (SIS), security related expenditure (SRE) and integrated action plan (IAP) schemes. The threat posed by Maoists in southern States was also discussed during the ongoing Police chiefs conference in New Delhi. According to security agencies, Maoists aim to develop some Districts in the three states with a view to provide shelter to its leadership in the event of increased anti-Maoist operations in its strongholds in central India. The union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also written to the Governments of the three States informing them about the activities of the CPI-Maoist. According to MHA, the presence of Maoist groups has been noticed on 15 occasions in the Districts of Malappuram, Wayanand and Kannur Districts in Kerala, and in Mysore, Kodagu, Udupi, Chikmagalur and Shimoga Districts in Karnataka. Similarly, activities of Maoists front bodies have increased in Erode District in Tamil Nadu. "In these areas, the cadres of CPI (Maoists) were were trying to reach out to the targeted social sections by raising issues of displacement, discrimination, 'neo-liberal' economic policies and social subjugation while exhorting them to join the 'revolutionary struggle' to 'recapture' forest, water, land and factories," said one of the communications. The Centre also advised the states to develop anti-Naxal forces. In its letter, the MHA said, "The financial incentive for personnel in anti-Maoist units is perhaps only 20%of the basic salary, whereas in all the LWE affected states, the incentives ranges from 50-60% of the total salary. The state can consider enhancing the incentive. The forces in these units are ageing with most of the personnel above 35 years. This factor would vastly impair their mobility. Since, this a deputationist force, there appears to be need for infusion of younger fresh blood." Read less...

The Karnataka State Police were on high alert in at least two northern Districts bordering Karnataka and Tamil Nadu on November 24 following reports that a five-member armed group, suspected to be Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres, was sighted in Wayanad District late on November 22, reports The Hindu. The Police said the armed group had entered a colony of forest dwellers in the Arimala forests in the Vellamundy Police Station limits in Wayanad and sought provisions, chiefly rice, dried red chillies, and pulses, from the residents. The group included two women, and they reportedly conversed among themselves in Kannada. The Districts now on alert included chiefly Wayanad and Kozhikode (Rural). Read less...

The Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) is making efforts to open a new theatre in south India with movement of armed cadres witnessed in Western Ghats and tri-junction of Tamil Nadu- Kerala-Karnataka, posing a serious security threat to the three States, reports The Hindu. In an internal communication, Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has said the CPI-Maoist’s efforts in the direction of expanding its organisational base in Western Ghats and the area around the tri-junction of Tamil Nadu-Kerala-Karnataka are discernible. The activities are in the form of relative increase in movement of armed cadres in the area, along with activities of its frontal organisations and over-ground elements. However, at this stage it can easily be controlled through a well-formulated action plan, the Home Ministry said. During this year, so far, presence and movement of armed CPI-Maoist groups have been noticed on over two dozen occasions in the Districts of Malappuram, Wayanand and Kannur in Kerala and Mysore, Kodagu, Udupi, Chikmagalur and Shimoga Districts in Karnataka. Though adjoining areas of Tamil Nadu have not witnessed any movement of armed Maoist cadres, activities of its front bodies have increased distinctively in Erode District, the Home Ministry said. Based on various intelligence inputs, the Ministry has asked Police forces of the three States to maintain strict vigil along the tri-junction of Tamil Nadu-Kerala-Karnataka and all-out efforts be made to check the activities of the Maoists in the initial stage itself. Read less...

Following the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) alert about Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) trying to regroup in the tri-junction of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, Police officials in Erode have increased the number of armed guards at Police Stations on the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border, reports The Times of India. Erode Superintendent of Police (SP) R Ponni said Police have tied up with Q-branch officials to collect information about movement of 'strangers' in Kadambur, Burgur, Thalavady and other forest areas. Inspector General of Police (west zone) S Davidson Devasirvatham claimed there was no Maoist movement in western Tamil Nadu. Read less...

Inspector-General of Police (Eastern Range) S. Parashivamurthy on November 29 said there is no Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) activity in the four Districts in his range — Bellary, Davangere, Chitradurga and Shimoga, reports The Hindu. Vigil, however, has been stepped up following reports of Maoist activities in the neighbouring range, he told presspersons. Read less...