Maoist leader Kishenji to be cremated today

Slain Maoist leader Kishenji’s body, which was brought here tonight from Kolkata, is being taken to his native town Pedapalli in Karimnagar district of Andhra Pradesh even as police said the body cannot be kept at the venue, as sought by his kin, for public viewing. Kishenji was killed in an encounter with security forces in Barishol forest in West Bengal on Thursday. [caption id=“attachment_141194” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“A body, believed to be that of Koteshwar Rao, also known as Kishenji. Reuters”]  [/caption] The body of the top Maoist leader was flown by a cargo plane which landed at the Shamshabad Airport at around 7.40 pm, police said, adding it was later shifted in a amublance which headed towards Pedapalli along with police escort vehicles. “The body of (Kishenji) is being taken in an ambulance to Pedapalli. It likely reached Karimnagar by midnight, yesterday. The last rites of Kishenji will be performed tomorrow,” a senior police officer told PTI late last night. As the body of Kishenji landed at the airport, activists of different People’s Organisations held demonstration after police denied them permission to take the body towards Tank bund here. 58-year-old Molajula Koteswar Rao, alias Kishenji, was killed in a gunfight with security forces at Burisole jungle in West Midnapore district of West Bengal on November 24. Meanwhile, Karimnagar SP V Ravinder said the family members of the Maoist leader have not applied for a formal permission to keep his body at Junior College grounds at Peddapalli village. He said the family members could keep the body only at their residence. Police have removed tents from the Junior College grounds where Kishenji’s body was to be kept by his kin, he said. “Their request will be rejected even if they ask for permission,” Ravinder added. PTI