Patna:
Maoists on Monday released the three abducted Bihar policemen in Lakhisarai district, bringing an end to a week-long hostage crisis.
(Watch: God heard my prayers, says released cop)The three policemen - Sub-Inspector Abhay Prasad Yadav, Havaldar Ehsaan Khan and Trainee Sub-Inspector Rupesh Kumar Sinha - who were taken hostage on August 29, were freed by the ultras on the border of Kajra-Chanan forests and hills, about 165 km from the state capital.
(Watch: Cops released, families relieved)The policemen were brought to the Lakhisarai police station first. From there, they headed home to meet their families.
Police have confirmed that their condition is fine. The doctor who examined the three cops also said there were no physical injuries.
(Doctor: All three cops are physically, mentally fit)The Maoists had earlier killed one of the captive policemen, Lukas Tete. His body was found on Friday.
(Read: Havaldar Lukas Tete was killed last week)"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 ultras in the forests and hills," Director General of Police Neelmani told PTI.
(In pics: Bihar hostage crisis over)"Sub-Inspector of Police and Station House Officer of Manikpur police station Yadav, SI Sinha and BMP Havildar Khan were with the Superintendent of Police (Lakhisarai), Ranjit Kumar Mishra," he said.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who had offered talks with the ultras on the hostage crisis and even expressed the state government's readiness to provide them safe passage for talks, heaved a sigh of relief after Neelmani informed him about the development.
Reacting to the release., Kumar said emphatically that "No deal was struck with the Naxals." He added that public pressure played a big role in persuading the Naxals to end the hostage crisis.
(Contest the Bihar elections: Nitish to Naxals)Seven Maoists, including a self-styled area commander and mastermind of the Lakhisarai incident Pintu Das, have been arrested in the last few days during the intense search operations that were launched by the security forces in the hills and forests of Munger, Lakhisarai, Jamui, Banka and Kaimur districts.
Families of the three policemen had an agonising wait on Sunday when the Maoists had claimed to have released them but the state government said it had no information.
(Watch: Now it'll be a happy Eid for me, says cop's wife)The Maoists had on Sunday night again stated that the hostages would be freed on Monday.
Seven policemen were killed and ten others injured during a fierce encounter with Maoists in Sitlakodasi forest under Kajra police station in Lakhisarai district on August 29. The ultras had also kidnapped the four policemen.
On Tuesday, Maoists issued an ultimatum to the state government that they would kill hostages if it failed to release their eight jailed colleagues -- Jai Paswan, Vijay Chourasia, Prem Bhuiyan, Pramod Barnawal, Ramvilas Tanti, Ramesh Tirkie, Arjun Koda, and Rattu Koda.
On Thursday, Avinash, a self-proclaimed spokesman for the Maoists, then informed media offices that the ultras had killed Abhay Yadav following expiry of the deadline. But the police on Friday recovered the bullet-ridden body of Tete from Singrishi dam's Smra Tari forest in Lakhisarai district.
This forced the Chief Minister to offer safe passage to the representatives of the Maoists coming for talks on the crisis.
Kumar convened an all-party meeting on Saturday that evolved a consensus asking the Maoists to release the three hostages unconditionally.
Avinash had soon after the appeal from the all party meeting, told local media offices in Jamui that the central committee of the ultra-left wing had rejected the offers for talks and decided to release the hostages unconditionally on "humanitarian considerations".(With PTI inputs)