Maoist commander's defiance & death likely led to the 'end' of Naxalism in Karnataka

Bengaluru: A month before Maoist commander Vikram Gowda was killed in a police encounter in November last year, the Anti Naxal Force (ANF) had approached him through an intermediary, urging him to surrender. He rejected the offer outright, saying he would rather die than surrender. 

The offer and Gowda's terse rejection were captured in a confidential audio clip accessed by DH. 

A top police official confirmed the authenticity of the audio, which has gained significance following the surrender of six of Gowda's comrades in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on January 8. 

Both Siddaramaiah and Home Minister Parameshwara have claimed that Karnataka is now free from Naxalism. 

While Gowda's killing is believed to have influenced the six Maoists to surrender, they have sought an impartial investigation into the encounter. 

Gowda's defiance sparked a division within his group. 

Another Maoist, Kotevunda Ravi, had suggested that they surrender but the group expelled him instead, according to ANF investigations. 

The ANF believes Ravi is absconding but may surrender soon. 

In the audio clip, Gowda tells the intermediary that surrendering would mean he was a traitor. 

"They (political parties) will want us to compromise, offer us lakhs or crores (of rupees), but we will not step out, no matter what. If we leave, we will be betraying our people for whom we are fighting," Gowda says and vows to revive the Naxal movement in the state. 

Gowda says the parties may offer to field him in elections, but he doesn't believe in polls. 

"Our society works as per a system that has collapsed. We cannot fix it by winning elections...We need to endure hardships to bring change in our own way," Gowda says. 

The Maoist commander says their mission to set the system right was as difficult as a mother giving birth to a child. 

"Ten to 12 of our people have died fighting. Surrender would mean betraying all these souls," he says. 

Gowda was killed near Peetabailu, Udupi district, on November 18. 

A high-ranking police officer supervising the ANF said it was a chance encounter involving fire and counterfire that led to the killing. 

"In June (2024), a case was registered in Kodagu against this group of Naxals. We had been trailing them since. Even after initiating talks, we tried to capture them. Our team was in Udupi, combing through the forest," the officer told DH. 

"When we encountered Gowda, our priority was to capture him but he carried a platoon gun, which could have wiped out the ANF team in a matter of seconds. We chose the encounter as a last resort," the officer said. 

According to police, Gowda carried a carbine submachine gun, which had a rate of fire of 600 revolutions per minute (RPM). 

According to the officer, it is a mystery how Gowda obtained the gun, which the ANF has since seized. "Even we cannot get such a gun. It's nearly impossible."