Udupi, Nov 19 (Reporter) Vikram Gowda, a key Maoist leader, was killed in an exchange of fire with police in the Kabbinale forest area of Karnataka's Udupi district on Monday night, police authorities confirmed on Tuesday. The encounter comes amidst heightened tensions in the region, where Maoists have been voicing strong opposition to forest rights legislation and infrastructure projects, citing their impact on local communities and forest ecosystems. This marks the first armed encounter in the region since February 2005, when Saketh Rajan, a prominent Maoist ideologue, was killed in Chikkamagaluru. Rajan’s death was seen as a major blow to Maoist influence in Karnataka, and February 5 has since been observed as "Red Salute Day" by the group to honour his memory. Acting on a tipoff about the presence of a Maoist group in a village procuring supplies, police launched an anti-Maoist operation late Monday night. According to a senior officer, the group attacked the police, prompting retaliatory gunfire that resulted in Gowda's death. Four other Maoists in the group managed to escape under the cover of darkness. Gowda was actively involved in Maoist activities in the Western Ghats region, a hub for sporadic extremist movements. The operation that led to his death forms part of an intensified campaign to counter the resurgence of Maoist activities in Karnataka, particularly in Dakshina Kannada and Chikkamagaluru districts. Authorities also reported recovering firearms from a residence believed to have been visited by another Maoist team led by Mungaru Latha. The group has been linked to secret meetings in Koppa and Sringeri, where they mobilised locals against government policies, including forest rights legislation and land acquisition for infrastructure projects. Police believe Gowda’s death could weaken Maoist influence in the Western Ghats, although the group’s past resilience, as evidenced by their continued commemoration of Saketh Rajan, remains a concern. Investigations are ongoing to track down the remaining members of Gowda's group and further suppress Maoist activities in the state...////...