JOIN USA purse, believed to be that of Suchitra, the wife of slain ultra leader Sasadhar Mahato, who had been living with Kishenji, was found outside the forest leading to the fresh search, a CRPF commandant said.
Over 1,100 personnel of the joint forces comprising the 167 and 184 battalions of CRPF, CISF, the CoBRA and allied forces along with sniffer dog Bruno were carrying out the combing operations, police sources said.
All health clinics and primary health centres were scoured to ascertain if the injured Maoists had been there, while villagers were being questioned to secure information about the ultras who had fled, the sources said.
The body of the 58-year old Kishenji who stalked junglemahal for about two years, was first taken to Jhargram hospital morgue and then to the Midnapore police morgue for post mortem after yesterday's encounter.
The police were waiting for the family members of Kishenji to formally identify the body.
West Bengal Director General of Police Naparajit Mukherjee, who visited the encounter site, told PTI "The standard procedure for identification will be followed. The next of kin will identify the body.