The former Naxalite A. Vasu on Friday pooh-poohed retired police officer K. Lakshmana’s charge that the latter’s conviction for killing Naxalite leader Verghese in the Wayanad forests was the result of a conspiracy hatched by him (Vasu).
Mr. Vasu criticised Mr. Lakshmana’s contention that he had not ordered the killing of Verghese.
Mr. Lakshmana, retired IPS officer and a key player in the government’s anti-Naxalite drive, alleged, soon after his release from jail on Friday, that he was the victim of a conspiracy.
‘Not present’
He said he was not present when Verghese was killed during, what the police claimed, was an encounter.
Mr. Lakshmana claimed he came to know of the incident only through a wireless message.
Mr. Vasu, who lives in Kozhikode, alleged there was circumstantial evidence to prove Mr. Lakshmana’s presence during the incident.
“Lakshmana’s claim is absurd. He must tell the truth at least now… people will not believe his claims,” Mr. Vasu said when the media sought his views on Lakshmana’s claim.
Allegation
It was constable Ramachandran Nair who raised the allegation with support of Vasu, (popular as Grow Vasu since he was a leader of Grow, a union of workers of the defunct Gwalior Rayons unit at Mavoor), that Verghese was not killed in an encounter as claimed by the police but was shot dead and Lakshmana was responsible for the death of the Naxalite leader.
