Despite the Mao-ists’ assurance that they will release the three Bihar policemen held hostage for the past eight days, there was no trace of the three on Sunday and uncertainty grew over their lives. The state government was clueless about the hostages even as the Maoists remained ominously incommunicado.
But there were two mysterious twists to the left-wing rebels’ plot when a man claiming to be their representative visited a hostage’s wife at her home to get a rakhi tied on his wrist and, later in the day, the Maoists reportedly sent a CD to the CRPF with photos of a body. Rajni Yadav, wife of sub-inspector Abhay Kumar Yadav, said after meeting a self-proclaimed Maoist who called himself “Kishenji” that the three hostages would be released soon. There was, however, no official confirmation about the CD or its contents. Both chief minister Nitish Kumar and ADGP (headquarters) P.K. Thakur said there was no evidence that the three abducted policemen has been released by the Maoists, who had gunned down havildar Lucas Tete, one of the four hostages, on Thursday. After chief minister Nitish Kumar offered the Maoists safe passage on Saturday if they came out to hold talks and released the hostages, the rebels said they would release the three hostages early on Sunday. But there was neither any initiative from them towards holding talks till Sunday evening nor were the three hostages released.
“We have no knowledge about the three policemen’s release. We are continuing our efforts to ensure their safe release. I will say nothing more,” said ADGP (HQ) P.K. Thakur. The police and combined security forces meanwhile resumed search and raid operations in Lakhiserai district, where the Maoists are said to be hiding with the three hostages.