ALAPPUZHA/ MALAPPURAM: Still smarting under criticism from within the coalition over the police encounter with Maoists that left two dead, the ruling Left government in Kerala received support from unexpected quarters when Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala dismissed allegations that the encounter inside Nilambur forest was fake.
"The Maoists had fired at the police and the Thunderbolt team," said Chennithala, backing the state police's narrative. Incidentally, Chennithala was the home minister when the coalition led by his party, Congress, ruled the state till a few months ago.
Left partner CPI had strongly criticised the alliance leader and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the killings, which Chennithala termed immature, but supported the demand for a probe into the episode.
"The Supreme Court had directed that inquiry be conducted in such encounters to avoid suspicion that they are fake. So the state government should conduct an impartial inquiry in this case too," he told reporters in Alappuzha on Saturday.
"Photographs of the bodies of the killed Maoists should be released so as to clear the suspicion about the encounter," he added.
Meanwhile, the police strongly denied allegations of a fake encounter, insisting that it was a fire exchange between police and a group of armed insurgents. The Maoists fired first, claimed Malappuram police chief
Debesh Kumar Behera in a press conference at the Nilambur Circle Inspector’s office in Malappuram district on Saturday.
“It was not a fake encounter as media is projecting. The two Naxals were killed in a real encounter. Nearly 10 others including a woman, who were lucky to evade the bullets, have escaped into the jungle,” Behera said.
Police cordoning off the area and not revealing any information about the site or the bodies of the ones slain has given rise to suspicions. But as the police chief claimed, it was the fear of landmines that prompted them to prevent entry.
"There are incidents where CRPF Jawans were killed in land mine blasts," Behera added.
Explaining the details about the encounter that killed Maoist leaders Kuppu Devraj and Ajitha who were reportedly hiding in the deep forest at Karulai in Nilambur, The SP said the incident took place at a tri-junction in the forest, when a 60-strong police squad, carrying out an intelligence-based combing operation, stumbled on four Maoist camps in the inner jungle. The insurgents, who sighted the police, began firing.
"In the gun battle that lasted more than 20 minutes, two ultras were killed. The Maoists fired a few rounds, but the police maintained an upper hand, forcing them to retreat and escape with their weapons. Those who couldn't, took the bullets. Devraj's body had six bullets,” said deputy superintendent P Mohanachandran said.
The police admitted that they did not know whether the CPM(Maoist) central committee member were hiding in the Nilambur forest and it came as a surprise when they identified him.
“We sent the picture of Kuppu Deveraj to the Tamil Nadu police and they only told us
he was Deveraj who is CPI (Maoist) central committee member, carrying a reward of Rs 1.2 core on his head,” Mohanachandran said.
Among the items recovered from the camp included a Kindle e-reader, a pistol, laptop, six mobile phones, solar cells, bag, an axe, SIM cards and currency notes, said police.
