Fresh row over killing of Maoist activist in Kerala

A fresh row is brewing in Kerala over the killing of a Maoist activist C P Jaleel at Wayanad in 2019 as a forensic report that says Jaleel did not use firearms has not been put out in public.

Jaleel's family alleged that the forensic report contradicts the police claims that they were forced to open firing for self-defence after the Maoists opened fire. The police maintained that it was not Jaleel but other Maoists who managed to escape from the spot who opened the firing.

Jaleel's brother and human rights activist C P Rasheed told DH that the forensic report strengthens the family's suspicion that it was a fake encounter aimed at murdering Jaleel. The family will move court seeking a fair probe into the incident, he said.

The forensic report, which was accessed by Rasheed through court, said that there was no evidence of Jaleel using firearms.

Police sources said that some used cartridges recovered from the spot did not match with the arms recovered. Hence the Maoists who managed to escape from the post could have opened the firing that prompted the police to return fire for self-defence, said the police.

The encounter took place at a resort close to the forest at Lakkidi in Wayanad on the night of March 6, 2019. A four-member Maoist team allegedly demanded food and money from the resort authorities. Resort employees alerted the police and the Thunderbolt commando team of the Kerala Police. Subsequently, the firing took place. Jaleel's body was later recovered from the spot.

Soon after the incident, Jaleel's family alleged that it was a fake encounter and demanded a probe. A magisterial probe by the district collector was conducted as per the mandatory norm.

While the police maintain that the magisterial probe did not find the encounter to be fake, Jaleel's family pointed out that the government has not yet made the magisterial probe report public, and it was not even produced in the court.