HC orders re-postmortem of naxal killed in encounter

The Telangana High Court Thursday directed the government to conduct re-postmortem on the body of a naxalite belonging to the CPI (ML) New Democracy outfit who was killed in an exchange of fire with police in Bhadradri-Kothagudem District.

The order came on a PIL filed by the Civil Liberties Committee (CLC), which moved the court over the encounter seeking registration of a criminal case against the police under IPC section 302 (murder) and to conduct re-postmortem by forensic experts besides constituting a special investigation team.

The CLC alleged it was a fake encounter.

The court directed authorities to preserve the body and constitute a team of doctors to conduct re-postmortem at the state-run Gandhi Hospital here on Friday and to handover the body to the bereaved family.

The government submitted that it was a genuine encounter and said the naxalite was carrying a lethal weapon.

The court posted the matter to August 5.

According to police, the exchange of fire took place at around 6 AM Wednesday when a police team was engaged in a combing operation in Rollagadda forest area in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district, bordering Chhattisgarh.

The patrol team was "fired upon by the group of rebels" resulting in a gun-battle, police said.

After the exchange of fire, the naxal group fled the spot and police recovered the body.

The deceased was identified as 40-year-old Linganna, state secretary of the CPI (ML) New Democracy and the "Commander of the Linganna Dalam", the underground group formed by him.

Police said 'mild' tension prevailed in the area after a group of villagers, alleged to be sympathisers of the group, attacked police personnel with sticks and stones when the ultra's body was being shifted from the spot to the mortuary.

A post-mortem was subsequently conducted.