Abducted CRPF commando released by Maoists in Chhattisgarh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 8

After six days of captivity, the abducted CRPF’s CoBRA commando Rakeshwar Manhas has been released by the Maoist on Thursday, a senior official in the security establishment here confirmed the development.

According to sources in the Chhattisgarh police, the safe release of the Commando was possible after constructive engagement and perusal of the mediators, appointed by the state government and Padma Shri Sharmapal Saini, who also played an important role in the process.

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The sources said as of now, the CoBRA commando along with a team of journalists and the two mediators are on the way back to Basaguda CRPF camp, where he would undergo a medical checkup. They went on to add that the jawan was released to the negotiation team at Tarem, the place near the encounter site in front of hundreds of the villagers.

Responding to the call of the Naxal, the Chhattisgarh government had appointed a two-member negotiation team to mediate the hostage crisis.

Manhas, a resident of Jammu, was abducted last Saturday during the fierce encounter of a joint team of security forces with the Maoists in which 22 jawans were killed and several injured.