Ranjit Dule, a teacher who was kidnapped by Naxals on Friday, was released around midnight on Monday. He was handed over to reporters, who are taking him to the Lalgarh Police station.

Dule was kidnapped from Sarulia village in Bankura District in West Bengal at gun-point when he was invigilating the secondary examination on March 5. His son had to publicly condemn the police torture of ordinary people. This was the condition laid down by Sidhu Soren, PCPA leader.

The original demand of release of six villagers arrested in connection with the murder of a police official seems to have been put on the backburner.

The Maoists had set a 48-hour deadline for release of their cadre, which ended on Sunday night.