Bengaluru : In a major breakthrough for the Karnataka Police, Vikram Gowda, one of the most wanted Maoist leaders in South India, was killed in an encounter on Monday evening in the Kabbinale forest region of Udupi district.
Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara confirmed the news to the media on Tuesday, stating that the police had been tracking Vikram Gowda’s movements for some time. “Our police forces encountered dreaded Naxal leader Vikram Gowda on Monday evening. After being spotted by the police, Gowda opened fire on the officers. In retaliation, the police fired back and killed him,” Parameshwara said.
While Vikram Gowda was killed, three of his associates who were with him at the time managed to escape into the dense forest. Authorities have continued their combing operations in the area to track down the fleeing Maoists.
The police had been monitoring Vikram Gowda’s activities closely after gathering credible intelligence about his location. “We had thought that the Naxal movement had been largely eradicated from the state. However, last week, we tracked the movements of Naxal leaders Raju and Latha in the state, which led to a week-long combing operation,” the Home Minister explained.
Parameshwara further revealed that the authorities had obtained crucial intelligence about Vikram Gowda’s whereabouts, which led to the confrontation. “Under the unavoidable circumstances, the police had to take action when the Naxals opened fire on them. The police were forced to retaliate, resulting in the death of Vikram Gowda,” he said.
The state government, Parameshwara noted, has made significant efforts to mainstream former Naxals. “The government had successfully brought many Naxals into the mainstream in the Pavagada region of Tumakuru district through dialogue and rehabilitation. These attempts are ongoing, and the government is committed to providing a path for those Naxals who wish to surrender and lead normal lives,” he said.
However, Parameshwara made it clear that such incidents would continue to occur as long as Naxals resisted surrender and attempted to flee from law enforcement. “When Naxals try to evade the police in forested areas, such encounters are inevitable,” he added.
Vikram Gowda had been on the run for over 20 years, with the police repeatedly failing to capture him despite several operations. His death marks the end of a long and intense manhunt by Karnataka Police.