Killing the Talks and Faking an Encounter

A 22-member team of four constituents of the Coordination of the Democratic Rights Organisation (CDRO) undertook a fact-finding into the alleged encounter killing of Mallojula Koteswara Rao (Kishenji) on 1December 2011. The team visited Sorakatta hamlet of Burisole and Gosaibandh village of Paschim Medinipur. The team spoke to the residents of the two villages, the subinspector (SI) and assistant sub-inspector of Jamboni police station, and visited the spot where the alleged encounter took place on 24 November.

The place where Kishenji’s body was found is about 300 metres from the Sorakatta hamlet of Burisole village. It is barely 50 metres from the village football ground and surrounded by a thin cover of sal trees. Right next to where his body lay on the ground is a termite hill, which remains undamaged by all the alleged exchange of fire. At the spot where the body lay on the ground there was a pool of blood where his head and torso lay but there were no blood spot marks where his legs lay. The trees which ostensibly carry the bullet marks show no burn marks caused by bullets. Indeed the contrast between the badly damaged body of the deceased and the undisturbed spot where his body lay gives rise to much doubt. If there was heavy exchange of fire there would be telltale signs around.