Karnataka: Arms found, cops probing link to surrendered Maoists

Chikkamagaluru: Days after six Maoist’s surrendered in the state, the police found arms and ammunition in the forest area near Kittaleguli hamlet in Jayapura police station limits in Chikkamagaluru on Saturday.

Chikkamagaluru SP Vikram Amathe, however, maintained that whether the arms and ammunition were left by surrendered Maoists, is a matter of investigation.

“Late last night a case was registered at Jayapura police station under section 3,7,25(1B) and 25(1A) of the Arms Act of 1959. Based on the information received by the sub-inspector, he and his team had gone to the mentioned spot and conducted searches, and found arms and ammunition,” Amathe said.

The arms seized included one AK 56 rifle, three .303 rifles, one 12 bore SBBL, and one country made pistol. In addition, the police have also recovered 176 rounds of ammunition comprising, 7.62 mm, 11 rounds of AK ammunition, 133 rounds of .303 rifle ammunition, 12 bore cartridges numbering 24 and eight rounds of country-made pistol with eight ammunition.

One empty magazine of an AK 56 rifle was also found. A case has been registered at Jayapura police station under in section 3, 25(1B), 7 & 25(1A) of Arms Act 1959, said the SP.

The Maoists, who had joined mainstream on January 8, had come out of the same forest.

“Some of the seized guns bear the emblem of the Maoist party. Some guns are rusted. Some are old guns, and some are in use,” said the police officials.

Six Maoists — Mundagaaru Latha, Sundari Kuthluru, Vanajakshi Balehole, Mareppa Aroli, K Vasanth and T N Jeesh surrendered at a government event held at the chief minister’s home office ‘Krishna’ on January 8.

Koppa inspector will investigate the case, the SP said, adding that further investigations will follow to ascertain things.

Asked whether the arms and ammunition found belonged to surrendered Maoists, he said, it is a matter of investigation, they were found based on the information received. “Only after investigation, we can definitely say.”

To a question that some arms were bearing symbols to show they belonged to Maoists, he said, it is a matter of investigation, we are gathering information about those symbols, and only after investigation anything can be said.

Asked as to when the Maoists will be taken to police custody, Amathe said, there are several cases against them, legal process is on, after which they will be taken into police custody.

Following the surrender, the Maoists were produced before the Special NIA Court in Bengaluru, which had remanded them to judicial custody for 14 days. They are currently lodged at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison Complex in Bengaluru.

With PTI inputs