Kishenji's body identified by niece

Slain Maoist leader Kishenji's body was identified by his niece Deepa Rao at Midnapore Medical College and Hospital morgue on Saturday morning as preparations were on for the post-mortem in the presence of forensic experts, police said.

Kishenji's body, brought to Midnapore from Jhargram police morgue yesterday under strict security, was kept at the hospital morgue throughout the night, pending  identification by his niece who arrived after 1 am.

The police said Deepa was accompanied by Telegu poet and Maoist sympathiser Varvara Rao from Kolkata. According to the police, post-mortem would be done in the presence of forensic experts after 11 am.

The district administration, the police said, would take a decision on handing over the body to their relatives later. Asked whether the body would be flown to Kishenji's native place at Peddapalli town in Karimnagar district of Andhra Pradesh, police said, "It would be done accordingly".

Joint forces are, meanwhile, continuing combing operations in Burisole forest areas, the scene of Thursday's fierce gun battle with Kishenji and his men that left the top Maoist leader dead, in search of another Maoist accomplice Suchitra Mahato and two others.

Sources said that the combined forces were searching every nook and corner of the areas in search of Suchitra and two others who are believed to have escaped injured after Thursday's encounter and hiding somewhere nearby.

Meanwhile, the Maoists sponsored two-day statewide bandh from Saturday had no impact in the state except for closure of some shops in Jhargram area in protest against the death of Kishenji in "fake encounter".

The police said some some shops were closed in Jhargram area but call for a bandh had a negligible impact in other Maoist-hit areas like Binpur, Goaltore and Salbani.

Security was tightened in all over Junglemahal areas to deal with any subversive activities by Maoists during the bandh time.