Nothing has changed even after decade of Idu encounter

Mangalore: It's been ten years since the Idu encounter gunning down two female naxalites took place.

While the police officials who took part in the operation received promotions, the people here continue to live in the same condition that existed ten years ago.

The people have been raising the issue during everyPolice-Jana Samparka Sabhe' and now after being fed up of the attitude of the authorities; the local residents have decided to boycott the elections if at least Bolottu-Naravi connective road is not completed.

It is said that crores of rupees have been released under naxal package but the funds have not reached the places it should have reached, says Sridhar Gowda, President of District Malekudiya Sangha.

The vehicles coming to this area have to be stopped at Bolottu Kaalusanka. The people will have to walk their way in Kaidhare area. This inaccessibility is in favour of the naxalites.

To reach Ramappa Poojary's house from Idu area requires crossing a lake, which has no bridge. While reaching his house during rainy season is impossible, the only way to reach there was to take Naravi town and then walk through fields and plantations. This is the plight of over 60 to 70 agrarian families living in the region.

Incident

It was on November 17, 2003, at about 3 am, DCIB personnel rounded up a house and opened fire following the information that a gang of five naxalites have taken refuge at the house of one Ramappa Poojary.

Within a matter of minutes two women naxalites were gunned down and were identified as Hajima and Parvathi.

The cops had been in the waiting at the cowshed of the house.  While the family members and four naxalites were asleep one female comrade was guarding them.

Naxalite named Parvathi and  Yashodha were nabbed by the police in injured state, while the two men of the gang managed to escape.

However, Parvathi succumbed to injuries on the way to the hospital.

Galore of promises

Within few months of the encounter the district administration to Chief Secretary of the state visited the region along with several government officials and promised to take steps to build Bollottu-Khandiga bridge and Bollottu-Naravi connective road. They had also said that another house will be provided to Ramappa Poojary whose house was lost in the operation.

None of the promises have been fulfilled even after a decade of the encounter.

Ramappa Poojary, who waited for the government to provide him a house, on February last built a house after borrowing a loan of Rs 9 lac from bank. He received a sum of Rs 60,000 under Indira Awaz Yojana.