Arrested Maoist cough up on elusive Kishenji

A top Maoist arrested by the West Bengal police on Friday said Kishenji, the elusive rebel leader who operates from the jungles, is alive and functioning from the forest hideout possibly in Chattisgarh, police said on Sunday.

Maoist state committee Secretary Kanchan coughed up the vital information during interrogation, Special Task Force chief Rajiv Kumar said.

“Kanchan and others arrested confirmed that Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji is alive and well and he is leading them in West Bengal,” Kumar said.

Kanchan, alias Sudip Chongdar, and his other comrades said Kishenji could be now in Dandakaranya in Chhattisgarh.

The statement of Kanchan, who is a also a Central Committee member of the banned Commnist Party of India-Maoist, scotched the rumour that Kishenji could have died in an encounter with security forces in West Midnapore district few months ago.

Kanchan was arrested along with two other state committee members–Anil Ghosh alias Ajay and Barun Sur alias Bidyut, besides Bimal Mallick alias Shankar, an ordinary member of the party from the city’s Maidan area on November 3 when they were about to board a night service bus for Jharkhand.

Following interrogation, another state committee member, Kalpana Maity alias Anu was arrested from Howrah station the next day.