Naxal kills villager hours before Phase II polls

Udupi, Karnataka, May 15 (UNI) With hours left for the second phase polls for the Karnataka Assembly to begin, CPI(Maoists) Naxals shot dead a villager in Nadpal, about 50 km from here, tonight.

Police officials said the desparadoes, numbering about six, barged into the house of Bhoja Shetty and shot him at point blank range without any provocation.

Incidentally, a group of naxals had entered the house of Shetty some time ago and had threatened him and before going back smashed household articles like TV and other equipment.

Anti Naxal Squad rushed to the village and began combing operations, police said.

The attack comes in the wake of naxals' warning the voters to boycott electons. Udupi along with nine other districts, including Chikmagalur and Shimoga, which is known naxal presence, go to polls in the second phase tomorrow.

The outlaws had pasted posters in public places in these areas coming under thick foilage in the Westren Ghat region calling for the boycott of elections during the past one month.

Authorities have put in place tight security arrangements in the naxal-affected areas with ANF, para military forces, besides the local police and the state armed reserve deployed extensively.

UNI MA RS RL KN2223