Bihar hostage crisis: Maoists release abducted cops - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The Maoists on Monday released the three abducted Bihar policemen in Lakhisarai District, bringing an end to the nine-day-old hostage crisis. The three policemen - Abhay Prasad Yadav, Rupesh Kumar Sinha and Ehshan Khan, were freed by the Maoists on the border of Kajra-Chanan forests, about 165 kms from the state capital, Patna. "All the three kidnapped policemen have been released by the Maoists from the Kajra-Chanan forest in Lakhisarai district after the police sealed the escape routes of the militants in the forests," Director General of Police Neelmani told media. "The condition of the three policemen is fine," he added. On August29, four policemen were taken hostage during an encounter with the Naxals in Lakhisarai. One of the policemen, Hawaldar Lukas Tete, was killed by the Naxals after the first deadline ended and his body was found in on Friday morning in the jungles of Lakhisari district. In a note that they left on his body, the Naxals threatened to do away with the three remaining hostages if eight of their comrades are not released from jail. The encounter began on Sunday evening when over 150 armed Maoists attacked search teams of the Bihar police combing the area following intelligence reports of the presence of the Maoists in the forest area.