The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Friday ruled out that top Maoist leader Koteswar Rao alias Kishenji was killed in a fake encounter even as Maoist ideologue P Varavara Rao alleged that the rebel leader was “tortured” and then “murdered” in police custody.
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”.
“He was arrested day before yesterday, kept in police custody and tortured. Then he was killed in a fake encounter,” Varvara Rao said in Kolkota after flying down from Hyderabad.
The security agencies have said Kishanji was killed Thursday after a 30-minute fierce gunfight in Burishole village of West Midnapore district.
Rao, accompanied by Kishanji’s niece Deepa, arrived in the city to identify the slain Maoist leader’s body which has now been taken to Midnapore Medical College and Hospital for autopsy. The family of Kishenji in his native Peddapalli in Karimnagar want his body to be brought for last rites.
