Click to play videoJhargram (West Bengal): The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Friday ruled out that top Maoist leader Koteswar Rao alias Kishenji was killed in a fake encounter. CRPF Director General K Vijay Kumar claimed that the encounter at Burishol village in Junglemahal area of West Bengal on Wednesday in which Kishenji was killed was "clean".
"We are confident that Kishenji has been killed. We were surprised that the normal security that Kishenji had was missing. It was absolutely a clean encounter but whenever such operations happen, such allegations always come. I am not surprised with the allegations being put," K Vijay Kumar, Director General, CRPF told CNN-IBN.
He did not rule out possibility of a retaliatory strike from the Maoists and said that the entire force deployed in anti-Maoist operations across the country has put on a high alert.
Vineet Goel, DIG, Midnapore and in-charge of the operations, confirmed that grenades were also used in the encounter. He said that he had specific information that Kishenji along with other Maoist leaders was hiding in the Kushboni jungle near Burishol village in Junglemahal area of West Bengal on the border with Jharkhand.
The clarification by the CRPF came a few hours after Kishenji's mother and some Left leaders alleged that the Maoist leader had been arrested and killed in a fake encounter.
Sources have said Kishenji's mother Madhuramma will file a petition in Calcutta High Court, demanding a judicial inquiry into the killing.
CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta has also written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh claiming that the encounter appeared to be fake.
"It appears that he was arrested earlier. I request the Prime Minister to inquire the encounter of Maoist leader Kishenji," he said in the letter.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an alert to all Maoist-hit nine states on a possible retaliatory strike by the rebels. Alerts have also been been sent to government establishment, police stations, training centres of security forces and railways.
MHA sources said, "Apprehension is that Maoist may retaliate in a big way. MHA has asked for a report from West Bengal government on encounter details.
According to reports, joint security forces were on Friday intensively combing the Burisole forest area of West Midnapore district in search of Maoist woman leader Suchitra Mahato and some other associates of the slain ultra.
Suchitra, who was accompanying Kishenji, had fled after the encounter along with some other associates. She is believed to be hiding inside the forest. Suchitra and the other rebels are also believed to be seriously injured.
Meanwhile, according to reports, Kishenji's body has been taken to a morgue at Jhargram Hospital under strict security.
The joint forces recovered one AK-47 and one AK-M rifle from the spot where the body was found after the encounter. A black bag, a hearing aid used by Kishenji and a jerry can were also found, the reports said.
The entire area was cordoned off by the combined forces who are combing the forest after a brief break on Thursday night.
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