Overview

• The Andhra Pradesh High Court has instructed Chhattisgarh police to hand over the bodies of Maoist leaders Nambala Keshava Rao and Sajja Venkata Nageshwar Rao to their families after post-mortem examinations are completed.
• The families of the deceased leaders filed petitions alleging that Chhattisgarh police refused to release the bodies and mistreated them during their attempts to retrieve them in Narayanpur.
• The two-judge bench, hearing the matter virtually, emphasized the need for compliance with procedural safeguards while addressing jurisdictional concerns raised by state authorities.
• Telangana Jana Samithi president M Kodandaram has called for a judicial probe into the encounter, questioning the circumstances surrounding Keshava Rao's death and urging the government to pursue peace talks with Maoist groups.
• The case highlights ongoing tensions over cross-state jurisdiction, allegations of police misconduct, and broader debates about counterinsurgency tactics and human rights.