Mamata has killed Kishenji: Varavara Rao

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Maoist ideologue P. Varavara Rao Saturday claimed that slain rebel leader Kishenji was killed in a 'staged encounter' and held West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee responsible for the death.

"I have seen him (Kishenji) several times since 1991. During the last 43 years I have seen a lot of dead bodies but none like this. They cut him, burnt him, then pumped bullets into him.

"There isn't a single part of his body without an injury. They kept him in custody for 24 hours and tortured him," said Rao, who along with Kishenji's niece Deepa Rao has come here to identify and take back the rebel leader's body back to his native place in Andhra Pradesh.

Rao held Banerjee responsible for killing Kishenji.

"Mamata (Banerjee) has killed Kishenji who had asked her for peace," Rao told reporters.

The body of the slain rebel leader has been kept at the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital here for the autopsy following which the body will be flown to Kolkata.

After touching down in Kolkata Friday Rao had made the claim that Kishenji was killed in a 'fake encounter' after being tortured in custody.

Deepa who identified that it was the body of her uncle said: "I last saw him in 1985. The body resembles that of my father and brother. But it is in horrible condition. They have really tortured him."

After the due procedural formalities in Kolkata, Kishenji's body will be flown to Hyderabad. From there he will be taken to his home in Pedapalli in Karimnagar district of Telangana region where his ailing brother and mother Madhuramma have wished to see the body.

The final rites will also be performed there with his family members, relatives, friends and comrades present, Rao said.

Security agencies have claimed that Communist Party of India-Maoist's politburo member Kishenji, whose real name was Mallojula Koteshwar Rao, died in a firefight Thursday afternoon in West Midnapore district's Burishole, 10 km from the border with Jharkhand.

The Maoists have called a two-day shutdown in the state protesting against the killing of their leader in a 'fake encounter'.