Top Bengal Maoist Kishenji killed in gunbattle with forces

The police attacked the brigands after information that he and some of his associates were hiding in the Kushboni jungle. Among his associates was Suchitra,the wife of slain Maoist Sashadhar Mahato,with whom Kishenji has lived this last year. Forces cordoned off the area,broke through the Maoist leader’s four-tier security and killed him,sources said.

The Maoist politburo member,the second in-command of the outfit and in-charge of military operations in Junglemahal since 2009,had eluded the forces yesterday in Kushboni.

The encounter which began this morning at Burisole jungle in Jamboni was close to Kushboni near the Jharkhand border.

The official said Kishenji’s body was identified by the AK-47 rifle he was carrying. Suchitra and the others fled.

A laptop bag,some letters written by Kishenji and Suchitra and a few important documents were earlier seized by the joint forces from Gosaibandh village nearby.