Maoist leader Kishenji missing: reports

Is CPI (Maoist) leader Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji dead or alive? Government is cleverly trying to evade questions on Kishenji's whereabouts after there were reports that he was injured in a gunbattle with security forces last week.

Is CPI (Maoist) leader Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji dead or alive? The mystery over the death of this dreaded Maoists leader seems to be putting the government in an uncomfortable position.

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Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday cleverly evaded questions on Kishenji's whereabouts during a press conference in New Delhi.

When the media questioned the home minister on Kishenji, Chidambaram only said that the top Maoist leader seems to have not contacted the media in the last few days.

"Well he has not called any of the media persons in last 10 days," said Chidambaram.

Mystery over Kishenji's death loomed since a gunbatlle in West Bengal last week. Reports had suggested that Kishenji was injured in the gunbattle which lasted for nearly 12 hours in a forest in Lalgarh area.

There has been no news about Kishenji ever since a gunfight in West Bengal last week.