Lakhisarai, Bihar:
The Naxals have extended the deadline for the four policemen taken hostage, in Lakhisarai in Bihar, till Thursday morning.
They have been demanding the release of their colleagues and the removal of security forces from the area.
The four policemen - Mohammad Ehsaan, Rupesh Kumar Sinha, Abhay Prasad Yadav, Lokus Tete- were taken hostage on Sunday, after a gun battle in the forests of Lakhisarai in which seven other policemen were killed.
The Naxals say if their jailed comrades are not released by the deadline, they will kill the hostages. So far the government has refused to give in to that demand, and the families of the abducted policemen live in fear.
9 jawans from the Karja operating force, went for that ill-fated encounter. All of them, except trainee sub-inspector, Rupesh Kumar, returned. Rupesh is one of the four policemen held captive by the Naxals. His colleagues, who went for the encounter recollect that fateful night. "We were not scared in the beginning but when back up did not arrive in time, we got worried, " Narendra Singh, a Special Action Force jawan told NDTV.
The Lakhisarai Superintendent of Police has been held accountable for Sunday's botched operation and transferred. "We underestimated the Naxal presence in the area, and that is why there were so many casualties," admitted Neel Mani, Director General of Police, Bihar.