Maoist deadline ends, Bihar CM under pressure
Patna: The new deadline of 10 am Friday set by the Maoists for the release of the three remaining Bihar policemen still being held hostage has expired but there is still no confirmed news about them. Reports say the three policemen still being hostage are safe, but their fate too hangs in the balance with the Maoists new deadline now over.
A Maoist leader Avinash had on Thursday called some local media persons and claimed that they had killed one of the four abducted police officer, Abhay Prasad Yadav, on Thursday after a 'jan adalat' pronounced him guilty. Yadav was the officer in-charge of the Manikpur outpost in Lakhisarai district and had been kidnapped with three other policemen during a fierce gunbattle with the Maoists on Sunday.
Police have recovered a body from the forests under Kajra police station in Lakhisarai district. But it is still not clear if it is Yadav’s corpse. Police officials are trying to identify the body. A note found on the body reportedly written by the Maoists warned that the other three policemen would be killed if their demand of releasing eight Maoists in jail is not met. The Maoists also want that Operation Greenhunt be called off. "We want the immediate release of our eight people else we shall kill the remaining three policemen as well, " the note said.
However, police officials say the body found in the jungles could be a bait.
"Villagers have claimed that they have seen the body. It has not been verified. It could be a bait. It is a difficult terrain. We do not want any more casualties so we are moving cautiously," said Lakhisarai Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Mishra.
Lakhisarai Station Officer Atul Kumar Mishra claimed that the body found was not that of Yadav. "The body is not Abhay Yadav's. He can be from the Bihar Military Police. Only they will have to verify it," he said.
Bihar ADG PK Thakur, too, said they have not received any information about Yadav being killed.
"We can't confirm if Abhay Yadav has been killed. We have not got any information in this regard. We have checked it from various sources. Police operation will continue. We will find our four men at any cost. The news that has come in the media is very serious. The Chief Minister has called a meeting to know the ground report,” Thakur had said on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, operations to rescue the abducted police officials have been intensified.
"A combined force of Cobra Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force, Bihar Military Police, Special Task Force and Special Auxiliary Police (SAP) of Bihar Police have intensified anti-Maoists operations for rescuing the policemen kidnapped by the Maoists during Sunday's encounter in Lakhisarai district," Inspector General (Operations), KS Dwivedi, overseeing the anti-Maoists operations, said.
Intense search operations have been continuing in the hilly and forest areas in Dharhara, Kajra and several other places in Bihar's Munger, Jamui and Lakhisarai districts.
Pressure is mounting on Bihar Chief Minister to start negotiations with the Maoists for the safe release of the policemen. The residence of Bihar Chief Minister at 1 Anne Marg has been cordoned off and a high alert sounded. Nitish has called for an all-party meet at 4 pm on Saturday.
The four policemen who have been kidnapped are Rupesh Kumar Sinha, Lucus Tete, Mohammad Ehsaan and Yadav.
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