'Rubbish to say Kishanji died in fake gunbattle'

Kolkata: Rebutting allegations that top Maoist leader Kishanji was killed in a "fake encounter", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the security forces took time to confirm his death as they no idea the senior rebel leader was in the Burishole jungle area at the time.

"I did not know about the operation in advance and that Kishanji was at that place. When the forces launched the operation they had no idea that Kishanji was there. And so after he was killed, the forces took four hours to confirm his death,' Mamata told a Bengali television channel Star Ananda.

"Its rubbish to say it was a fake encounter. Had it been a fake encounter would they have taken so much time? The post mortem report also proves this. There were 60-64 bullet marks in trees at the spot," she said.

She reiterated that police on Nov 24 cordoned off the Burishole jungle in West Midnapore district after they came to know that some Maoist leaders had gathered there to kill her and carry out subversive activities targeting metro railway stations and other landmarks.

"The police did not want to fire. The Maoists fired first."

The security agencies have said Kishanji - a Communist Party of India (Maoist) politburo member - was killed after a 30-minute fierce gunfight in Burishole village of West Midnapore district Nov 24. The Maoists and rights activists, however, claimed that he was captured, tortured and then killed in cold blood in a staged encounter.

She said the government will conduct all investigation into the death as per legal requirements.

But Mamata refused to call it a big success of the joint forces, saying "I don't consider any death as a success".

She said her government had tried five months for a peaceful solution to the left wing extremism problem.

"But peace process can take place only if both parties want peace. We will want peace and they will murder. That is not done. This is not any fight for any ism," she said.

Mamata described city-based pro-rebel organisations like the Nari Ijjat Banchao Samity as "more criminal" than the Maoists as "they were pushing some people towards death and trying to foment trouble in the state".

She said the government can use the central legislation Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against such sister organisations of the Maoists "but we want good sense to prevail".

The chief minister alleged rebels were extorting money in Haldia of Eastern Midnapore district and Sodepur and Kamarhati of North 24 Parganas district.

But she assured people that they need not panic as her government will ensure peace, progress and development.