Naxalites 'abduct', release BJP leader and villagers in K'taka

Udupi, Nov 4(UNI) A group of naxals which included some women members, today abducted a BJP leader and 12 other villagers of Hole Mavinakadu in Chikmagalur district about 100 km from here but released them safely after giving them a 'pep talk'.

Official sources said a group of seven naxalites barged into the house of Ranganath, President of Sringeri Taluk BJP unit in the wee hours today and threatened him with fire arms and asked him to come to a meeting they had organised in deep jungles.

Then a dozen villagers along with the BJP leader went into the jungles on the border of Chikmagalur, Shimoga and Udupi borders and demanded them to support the naxal.

Naxalite leader B J Krishna Murthy who led the gang told Ranganath that BJP should change its attitude towards naxals and if they were troubled in any way there would be a violent retaliation, he warned.

The villagers also identified naxal women members Latha and Prabha in the group.

IGP (Western Range) A M Prasad told UNI, who rushed to the village said the Anti Naxal Force had intensified combing operations in the area and said none of those who were taken to the forests were harmed and were released after some time.

UNI MA-RS RKN1628