To behead or not to behead, is the latest question the Maoists are grappling withTo behead or not to behead, is the latest question the Maoists are grappling with.

Kishanji, the 51-year-old politburo member of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), admitted to HT that the leaders of the banned party would review the beheading of inspector Francis Induwar.

The decapacitated body of 50-year-old Jharkhand police inspector Induwar was found on the Jamshedpur-Ranchi highway on 6 October, a few days after he was abducted, sending shock and dismay throughout the country.

“A higher committee would definitely seek report from the squad involved in that murder on why and under which circumstances the police officer had to be beheaded,” said Kishanji on Monday.

However, the Maoist leader admitted they are generally opposed to “such mode of murder” though they have no doubts that elimination of the enemy was necessary.

This is the first time Maoists admitted the debate in party circles over the manner of elimination. He spoke out when quizzed by HT on the contents of a central circular sent to the Andhra Pradesh state committee of the CPI (ML)(PW) in 1998.

In that circular, of which HT has a copy, the central committee of the CPI (Marxist Leninist)(Peoples War) had warned its cadres against excessive bloodbath.

“Many leaders have taken decisions on their own, without even consulting with the people, our support base. Many such actions were taken. They were many such punishments slapped on the enemy forces that the people did not accept. This is creating reaction against us,” the circular had warned.

“All the Special Area Committees are henceforth asked to submit report to us clarifying the action. Leaders found guilty of taking whimsical decisions would have to beg pardon in front of the mass,” the circular went on.

Kishanji claimed on Monday they still adhere to these guidelines.

According to this leader who has been leading the Lalgarh movement for the past one year, all actions by CPI(Maoist) cadres are reviewed by higher committees.

“Reviewing our actions between 2004 and 2008 in the Bengal-Jharkhand-Orissa areas, the area committee found that 85 per cent of the executions were perfect. In 10 per cent of the cases more time should have been given to the accused. In 5 per cent cases he should have been exposed more before the execution so that the public reaction didn’t go against us,” said the Maoist leader.

According to him all executions by their Peoples’ Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) in and around Lalgarh between 18 June and October this year were unblemished.

The Centre-state combined forces began combing Lalgarh on 18 June.