[1]Acting on a tip-off that Kishenji and some other rebel leaders like Suchitra Mahato and Bikash were holed up there, the joint forces led by DSP Praveen Kumar Tripathy encircled Lalboni near Kushboni jungle in Binpur, West Midnapore district at around midnight on Tuesday.
They began the operation on Wednesday morning. By the time they managed to enter the village, the top Maoist leaders had escaped.
On Thursday, security forces continued their combing operation and raided the house of one Dharmendra Mahato in Gosain Badh village. A laptop, a survey map of Jangalmahal, letters written in Bengali, and Maoist posters were found.
Villagers informed the police that Kishenji and Suchitra used to frequent this place. The police was certain that the laptop also belonged to him. Following this breakthrough, the security forces came to know that Kishenji and his associates were hiding in Burisole forest in neighbouring Jamboni.
Several hundred personnel of the CRPF’s CoBRA, Counter Insurgency Force and district police cordoned off the area. The security forces came under heavy fire from the rebels, and retaliated. A fierce gun battle ensued which lasted for 40 minutes. The police also used mortars.
When the guns fell silent and the police entered the jungles, they found a body and an AK-47 rifle. “We did not immediately confirm his death because we had to follow certain procedures,” a senior district officer said.
Police sent some pictures of the body to Jagori Baske, a top Maoist leader who had surrendered before the chief minister. She confirmed it was indeed Kishenji who had been killed.
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[1] http://archive.asianage.com/kishenjpgcropdisplayjpg-290