Maoists ready for talks if Azad’s killing probed: Agnivesh
By IANSSunday, January 2, 2011
KOLKATA - The Maoists are prepared for talks if the central government initiates a judicial probe into the death of rebel leader Azad alias Cherukuri Rajkumar, social activist Swami Agnivesh said here Sunday.
“The Maoists have demanded a judicial inquiry into Azad’s killing. If the central government accepts the demand and begins a probe, then they are ready for talks,” Agnivesh told newspersons.
He said top Maoist leaders Ganapathy and Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji had communicated to him that they would hold talks if the government accepted the demand.
The government has maintained that Azad was killed in a police shootout at Adilabad district in Andhra Pradesh July 2.
However, the Maoists alleged that he was killed in a staged shootout at Nagpur in Maharashtra.
