Re-postmortem on naxalite conducted

: As directed by the Telangana High Court, a team of doctors at a hospital here on Friday conducted a re-postmortem on CPI(ML) New Democracy leader Ponnam Linganna who was killed in an alleged encounter with the police.

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

The CLC alleged it was a fake encounter, while the government submitted that it was a genuine encounter and said the naxalite was carrying a lethal weapon.

"The re-postmortem has concluded and the body has been handed over to the kin. The entire process of the autopsy has been videographed," Gandhi Hospital superintendent Dr Sravan Kumar told PTI.

Heavy security arrangements have been made at the state-run medical facility keeping in view of the sensitivity of the issue.

According to police, the exchange of fire took place at around 6 am on 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.

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

A postmortem was then conducted on the 40-year-old subsequently.