Has top Maoist leader fled to Bangladesh?

Top Maoist leader Koteshwar Rao, who was believed to have camped in Lalgarh and provided leadership to the tribal agitation in West Midnapore district, has possibly left the country for Bangladesh.

"For the last two days, we have not been getting any information about him from Lalgarh and there is a possibility that he has left the country," a top state police officer said today.

Asked specifically if the Maoist leader has left the country, he replied, "We have some information that he is not in the country but we are not sure about it. We are checking it."

Director General of Police Sujit Kumar Sarkar declined to comment. Asked about the whereabouts of Rao alias Kishenji, Sarkar said, "We know where he is but we will not comment. I can only say that we have definite information about him and
we are trying to track him down. We cannot divulge any detail."

Top sources in the state police, however, suspected that the pressure created by security forces in Lalgarh made Kishenji leave the country two days ago and move to Bangladesh in all probability.