Maoists free abducted officers
2010-09-06 11:26
New Delhi – Maoist rebels in India's eastern state of Bihar released three abducted police officers on Monday, after holding them captive for over a week, officials said.
The three were freed early on Monday near a forested region in Lakhisarai, around 150km south-east of state capital Patna, after being captured last Sunday.
The insurgents earlier killed one of the prisoners, Lukas Tete. His bullet-ridden body was found by the police on Friday.
"A medical team examined the policemen and has found them to be safe and healthy. They will be sent to their homes soon," Bihar police chief Neelmani said.
"The Maoist rebels gave in to pressure exerted by the state government and intensive search operations mounted by security forces," Shivanand Tiwari, spokesperson of Bihar's ruling party, the Janata Dal (United), told reporters.
Details of release not known
The details of the men's release were not immediately known but officials said the Maoists' main demand – the freeing of eight jailed comrades – was not met, local news channels reported.
Quoting Maoist spokespersons, the reports said the rebels released the held cops on "compassionate and human grounds".
The Maoists captured the officers during a six-hour gun battle in Lakhisarai last Sunday which saw 10 police killed. The militants had threatened to kill the policemen unless their associates were freed and the armed forces' operations against them were halted.
More than a third of India's 626 administrative districts are affected by the Maoist insurgency, which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described as India's main internal security threat.
The rebels claim they are fighting for the rights of tribal, landless and poor people and usually target police and security forces. They are active in some of the country's poorest regions.
- SAPA
