Elusive Maoist leader Kishenji has escaped arrest by a whisker and only his laptop and headphones could be seized during a joint operation by the police and central para-military forces at a jungle in West Midnapore district.
"We were very close to arresting Kishenji. We had specific information that he was somewhere in the jungle between Dumurkota and Hatiasole villages under Kotwali police station and we conducted a secret operation yesterday," West Midnapore superintendent of police Manoj Kumar Verma said.
The joint forces entered the core area of the Maoists who numbered about 50 and exchanged nearly 40 rounds of fire, Verma said.
The jungle spreads over nearly 20 kilometres and by the time the joint forces reached the area, Kishenji had fled, he said.
The laptop and headphones used by the Maoist leader were seized, besides five guns, a pipegun, ten rounds of .315 bullets, two landmines and two flashguns, Verma said.
Three persons, including two women - Sitaram Hansda, Kanika Adak and Sefali Bera were detained, he said.
Asked how could the joint forces be sure that Kishenji was present, Verma replied that questioning of the three detained had confirmed it.
