Top Maoist leader Mr Kishenji, 58, was killed in an encounter by the special counter-insurgency police force of West Bengal today.

Kishenji, whose original name is Mallojula Koteswara rao, was surrounded by the police in the last two days. All his efforts to escape from the police net ended in failure resulting in an encounter.

The encounter took place in the thick Burisole forest of the Jangal Mahal in the West Midnapore district and lasted for more than six hours. Reports said he narrowly escaped from the special police force once but again he was trapped by the hunting forces today. The encounter area lies in the West Bengal-Jharkhand border.

Mr Kishenji hailed from the Peddapalli town in Karimnagar district and played a key role in the Maoist organization. He has been engaged in organizing the Maoist cadres across several states in the country.

Reports from Kolkata said that Kishenji was always protected by four tiers of security but the counter insurgency police forces broke open his high level security cordon resulting in the encounter.
Officials said Kishenji’s body was identified by the AK-47 rifle he was carrying. Another Maoist leader Suchitra fled from the area. A laptop bag, some letters written by Kishenji and Suchitra were earlier seized by the joint forces.  (JUBS)