As they do not figure among the dead, a few possibilities are being worked out.
The theory that has gained ground is that there were two camps in close vicinity, when the security forces struck.
All the top leaders may have been present in camp Number 2 and the middle-ranking leaders were in the first camp.
The encounter reportedly lasted about one and a half hour, this gave sufficient time for those present at the second camp to escape.
The second possibility is that all were present in one camp and the top leaders either fled under the cover of fire given by their comrades or have been either injured or taken into police custody.
This assumption does not hold much water as it is difficult to keep the arrest of so many top leaders under wraps as the Maoists have their own sources to fish out information.
The third possibility is that RK was the only Central Committee member present at the encounter site and Chalapathi and Aruna were not there at all. This possibility is also being supported by all the Maoist frontal organisations.
And based on a petition filed by RK’s wife Siresha, the High Court has asked the police to file a statement on RK’s whereabouts by Thursday.
Police to respond to HC’s directive
A senior officer told The Hindu that a denial of RK being in police custody and the police having no knowledge of his location would be filed by Thursday. The presence of RK and Uday is confirmed not only from the documents seized but it is talked about, even by the frontal organisations.
