Naxalites demand BJP to support bandh

Shimoga, Karnataka, July 17 (UNI) A group of six suspected naxalites of banned CPI (Maoist) today visited the house of a BJP leader at Nemmuru village near Agumbe in this district and demanded the support of BJP to the naxal sponsored bandh on July 19 in the Western Ghat areas, known for their presence.

This was second time that the members of the banned outfit visited the house of Koppa Taluk BJP President Ranganath in the wee hours today and asked him to extend support to the bandh to protest against the 'fake encounter' by the police in which four tribals were killed along with a naxalite leader.

According to reports reaching the district headquarters here, the outlaws stayed in Mr Ranganath's house for over two hours and informed him that they had given the bandh call and BJP should 'extend' its support.

All shops, business establishments and educational institutions should be closed from Sringeri in Chikmaglore to Bajagoli in Dakshina Kannada and Kalasa in Chikmaglore to Bajagoli, the group said.

UNI