The sympathizers of the slain Maoist leader launched an aggressive campaign in his funeral on Sunday at his native village Peddapalli in the state. The rebels called for a two-day strike all over the country on December 4 and 5, and in the Telangana region on December 1 and 2 in protest against the killing. They also vowed to take revenge on the security forces "who had killed Kishenji in cold blood" and called upon the people to observe a "protest week" from November 29.

The autopsy on the slain leader after being gunned down in the Burishol jungle of West Midnapore district Thursday, revealed details that there were 20 injuries, including six bullet wounds and two induced by shrapnel, on the body. The viscera report is now awaited to determine the time of his death and whether - as claimed by the security forces - he had fired a barrage of bullets from his AK-47 assault rifle.

Security forces claim he died while fighting, but the rebels slam the government for torturing and killing the rebel leader Kishenji alias M. Koteshwar Rao.