Shoot orders issued in naxal-hit areas of Karnataka

The Karnataka police has issued shoot-at-sight orders in naxal-infested areas of the state if the Maoists attempted to disrupt the poll process during the second round of assembly polls scheduled for May 16.

The shoot-at-sight orders come in the wake of calls by naxal groups operating out of the forests in the Western Ghats region of the state to boycott the elections. Pamphlets and handbills had surfaced in several areas around Kudremukh National Forests and Sringeri in Malnad region of the state during the last one week appealing to people to stay away from the poll process.

Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Shankar Bidri told reporters that police and security forces deployed for duty have been given orders to open fire, if necessary, in the event of naxals trying to disrupt the process of polling on Friday.

A 16,000-strong force of security personnel comprising paramilitary forces had been deployed in the naxal-infested districts of Udupi, Shimoga and Chikmagalur, he said.

Bidri said the district administration in the naxal-hit areas have also been told to initiate stringent action against persons trying to disturb the poll process.

The naxal-infested areas of Karnataka will be part of the 66 assembly constituencies in central and coastal parts of the state that will be going to polls during the second phase of elections on Friday.