By Sudhakar 

Days after two Maoist leaders Ajitha and Kuppu Devaraj were killed in an encounter in Kerala’s Nilambur forest, a video has emerged that indicates that armed training had indeed taken place among the cadres.

Following the encounter carried out by Kerala police’s Thunderbolt team led by Malappuram SP Debesh Kumar Behera on November 24, the slain Maoists’ families and rights activists alleged that the encounter was fake. 

The Kerala police came under severe criticism, after allegations rose that the two leaders were unwell and unarmed at the time they were killed.

However, in a video leaked to the media, Kuppu Devaraj and senior leader believed to be Vikram Gowda can be seen addressing the armed cadres in a forest. 

“We will fulfill world socialist and communist revolutions. We will build a new democracy in India,” they can be heard saying in Tamil.

The cadres are seen shouting slogans and listening to two leaders, who are primarily speaking in Tamil. Two men and one woman can be heard saying that they will start the Kerala mandalam.

"We will intensify our armed struggle. We will fulfill Communist ideology.”

Kuppu Devaraj can be heard telling cadres that three adivasis had joined them and they would help them in taking the word to villagers. He repeatedly mentions that the struggle was for the people.