The joint forces on Wednesday launched an operation in junglemahal after information that top Maoist leader Kishenji and others could have taken refuge in forests in West Midnapore district.
"There is a strong possibility that Kishenji and some of his accomplices are hiding in deep jungles at Nalbani, Lalbani and Khusbani in Jhargram area. We have sealed all exit routes," a top Counter Insurgency Force officer told PTI on condition of anonymity.
Asked whether Kishenji has been arrested, the officer said "He has not been arrested so far, but there are indications that Kishenji and Suchitra Mahato are present in the jungle." He said that additional forces have also been sought. "Once the forces arrive we will go for the final assault." "We have covered all exit routes and are trying to narrow the gap" the officer said.
The joint forces began the search for Kishenji after the arrest of five Maoists, who were members of a 'village defence squad', the outermost ring of four rings usually assigned to protect a top leader, a CRPF officer said. The five nabbed from Khusbani jungle, included Kanai and Prosenjit who were involved in the Silda EFR camp attack when 24 personnel were killed on February 15 last year, he said.
Kishenji had escaped earlier during a joint force operation in the same district in January last year. Meanwhile, arms and ammunition were seized during a raid by the joint forces on the Borihati forest in Jamboni police station area in which three suspected Maoists were detained, police sources said.