Karnataka Naxal leader killed in police encounter

Karkala (Karnataka), March 1 (ANI): The Anti Naxal Force (ANF) gunned down a wanted Naxal leader Vasant Goudlu in an encounter near Muniyal in Karnataka's Udupi district on Monday evening.

The ANF also believes that another wanted Naxal leader Vikram Goudlu and Vasant's sister Sundari managed to flee from the sight.

On a tip-off police surrounded three Naxals in Maroli Jaddu forest area in Karkala taluk of the district.

An ANF personnel was also injured in the encounter.

Police recovered one self-loading rifle (SLR), three magazines and a handbag from the sight.

The ANF and Udupi Police have launched a joint search operation in the forest area to capture the absconding Naxals.

Vasant, a Malekudiya tribal hailed from Kutlur village in the Kuduremukh National Park area.

The 30-year-old, who was an active member of the Karnataka Vimochana Ranga in 1990s, later went underground and became active in the Naxal movement.

He was a staunch follower of the Maoist ideologue Saket Rajan and a member of the Maoist's Karavali Area Committee.

Vasant's name figured in the 2003 Idu encounter and also in the bomb attack on police party in Karkala Taluk in 2005.

Earlier in May 2009, the Karnataka Police had declared an award of Rs five lakh for any information on Vasant. (ANI)