Karnataka

Two shot dead by suspected naxalites

Udupi: Two persons were shot dead by suspected naxalites at Sitanadi village in Udupi district on Thursday.

According to reports received here, the suspected naxalites were hiding near the house of Bhoja Shetty. Bhoja Shetty and his relative Suresh Shetty, who had gone out for shopping, were returning home on a motorcycle, when the suspected naxalites opened fire at them. Bhoja Shetty died on the spot. Suresh Shetty died of injuries later.

The bodies of Bhoja Shetty and Suresh Shetty have been kept at the morgue of the Hebri Government Hospital. The former MLA Sunil Kumar and workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were present at the hospital.

The incident has sent shock waves across the region. Polling in the district will be held on Friday.

While Bhoja Shetty was a teacher, Suresh Shetty was an agriculturist. Suspected naxalites had ransacked Bhoja Shetty’s house a year ago.

Superintendent of Police Devajyothi Ray told The Hindu that the district police along with the Border Security Force (BSF) had launched a combing operation in the area.

He said that there were conflicting statements on the number of naxalites involved in the attack. “Some people say only two were there, while others say there were four,” he added.

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