It's been confirmed now. Top Maoist leader Koteswar Rao alias Kishenji has been killed in a gunbattle by security forces in the Kushboni forest in the Junglemahal area of West Bengal.

Local TV channels say a body with a AK-47 has been found in the forest.

Three other Maoist leaders have also been killed. Local channels also say that the police are looking for his close aide, Suchitra Mahato, with massive joint operations underway right now in the area.

Yesterday, it was believed that Kishenji had in fact escaped. A top Counter Insurgency Force officer had told PTI on condition of anonymity yesterday, "We had strong information that Kishenji and Suchitra, the wife of a slain state committee member were hiding in the jungles of Nalbani, Lalbani and Khusbani in Jhargram area of West Midnapore district."

The joint forces were alerted by the arrest of five Maoist 'village defence squad' members, who comprised the outermost ring of four rings usually assigned to protect a top leader such as Kishenji.