Ballistic, postmortem reports to reveal truth on Maoist encounter in Kerala

Former state police chiefs say the reports will help ascertain whether the firing took place from close range and if it was a fake encounter

Policemen deployed in Manjikandi forest area for Maoist combing operation returning on Friday. (Photo | Arun Angela, EPS)

KOCHI: As the Kerala government continues to face the wrath of political parties including its coalition partner CPI on the encounter killing of four Maoists at Manjakandi in Palakkad, all eyes are now on the postmortem and ballistic reports as an analysis of the two will be able to solve the mystery.

Experts say the two reports will help ascertain to an extent whether it was a fake encounter or not. Former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief P K Hormis Tharakan said the postmortem report will help analyse whether the firing took place from the close range or long range.

Similarly, the ballistic report will help ascertain the weapon from which the Maoists fired and how many rounds were fired. 

CPI leaders P Prakash Babu, MLAs E K Vijayan and Muhammed Muhsin interacting with tribal head Koyan Moopan at Manjikandi tribal colony on Friday. (Photo | EPS)

“An analysis of the two reports along with the eyewitness’ accounts and other investigation factors will give us a clear picture on the encounter,” Tharakan said, adding that he always held a very strong view against fake encounters.

“But terming a genuine encounter as a fake one is more dangerous than labelling a fake one as genuine,” he added.

Former state police chief T P Senkumar said the ballistic report will give a clear idea on the type of weapon from which the Maoists had fired at the Thunderbolt team. “The examination of the empty bullet shells and the firing line will give the location from where the Maoists and the Thunderbolt fired at each other. Police might have collected evidence from the spot where the Maoists were found dead.

A detailed analysis of the ballistic and other forensic evidence along with the postmortem report will provide us a clear picture,” Senkumar said.  

During an encounter in the forest, there could be all possibility for a close-range shot as a few team members of the Thunderbolt would be advancing to the target for a clear shot while others in the team would be giving back-up firing, he added.

Senkumar came down heavily on the CPI leaders for insisting that the encounter was a fake one. “The Maoists were all inside the forest and carrying weapons. This is not the way to strengthen an ideology or a cause. They (the deceased) belong to a banned organisation and UAPA charges should be levelled against those political leaders who openly support the Maoists,” he added.