Policeman killed, Bihar struggles with hostage crisis

Patna:  At 10 am on Friday, Havaldar Lukas Tete was found dead in Bihar's Lakhisarai forest with a note from the Naxals who killed him pinned to his body. It warned that unless the government releases eight Naxal leaders from jail, three other policemen taken hostage will be murdered.

"We are sad with this news about the killing of one of our men. A combing operation is on. We are making all efforts to rescue the other cops. We can't reveal the strategy at this point of time," said PK Thakur, the Additional Director General of the Bihar Police.

Tete was kidnapped on Sunday with three of his colleagues during an encounter with Naxals in Lakhisarai, 150 kilometres east of Patna. Forty policemen found themselves battling more than 200 Naxals. Seven policemen were killed. Tete was taken away with Sub-Inspector Abhay Prasad Yadav, Havaldar Mohammad Ehsaan and Trainee Sub-Inspector Rupesh Kumar Sinha. (Read: Naxals kill one of the four abducted cops in Bihar)
 
The Naxals first set 10 am on Thursday and then in Friday as their deadline for their leaders to be freed.  The government refused. With Tete's death, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has to decide whether to sanction the release of hardcore Naxals - likely to set a dangerous precedent and certain to weaken morale in the government's tough and long fight against the insurgency in states like Bihar and Orissa.

Kumar has called an all-party meeting on Saturday to discuss strategy. Former chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav said he appeals to Naxals "to come forward for talks."




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Tags: Hostage, Maoists, Naxals