Naxal attack: Gaddar appears before Pavagada court

Telugu poet-balladeer and Maoist sympathiser Gummadi Vittal Rao, popularly known as Gaddar, on Wednesday appeared before the judicial magistrate court here in connection with 2005 Venkatammanahalli Naxal attack case.

Gaddar is accused number 11 in the case. The high court had recently granted anticipatory bail to Gaddar in the said case.

Since, the hearing in the trial court is underway, Gaddar appeared before the court and submitted a copy of anticipatory bail to the magistrate.

When one of the advocates asked Gaddar, during lunch break, to render a revolutionary song, the balladeer, in a lighter vein, said my virtuosity has brought me here (court).

In July, the Tirumani police had brought Left-leaning Telugu poet-activist Varavara Rao, accused number 12th in the case, from Yerawada Jail, Pune, and produced him before the Pavagada court.

On the night of Feb 10, 2005, Naxals had gunned down seven KSRP constables and a civilian at Venkatammanahalli Govt School in the taluk. The attack was seen as a revenge to police encounter of Naxal leader Saketh Rajan, who was gunned down at Menasinahaadya in Chikkamagaluru district on Feb 5, 2005.