Raipur : After 18 days in Maoist
captivity, five security personnel walked free as the rebels handed them
over to social activist Swami Agnivesh and other mediators in the forests
of Dhoudai in Narayanpur district in Bastar on Friday.
Swami Agnivesh, Human rights activist Gautam Navlakha,
PUCL secretary Kavita Shrivastava, Chennai High Court lawyer V Suresh,
PUDR member Harish Dhawan and Sarvadharma Sansad representative Manu Singh
met the Naxalites, who handed over the five policemen as promised earlier.
The police had also suspended its search operations to facilitate their
release, as demanded by the Naxalites.
“We have received a preliminary report that they are on their way to
the district headquarters of Narayanpur,” official sources said. “There
are no communication facilities or mobile network in the area. We will be
able to say anything more only after civil authorities come in contact
with them,” the sources said.
The mediators — who had stayed overnight at Bastar’s divisional
headquarters Jagdalpur — left for Narayanpur early morning accompanied by
the relatives of abducted policemen.
A large number of media personnel accompanied the activists as they
proceeded to Abujmarh to secure the release of the security personnel at
an undisclosed destination.
There was confusion through the day as the Maoists did not contact them
as promised. “We had suspended the combing operation in the entire region
since the Naxalites made the demand to facilitate the safe release of the
policemen,” Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) T J Longkumer said.
Manoj Ekka, brother of constable T Ekka, said he was happy to hear
about their safe release. “Yes. It is a big relief. We are eagerly waiting
to meet them,” he said.
