Hyderabad:
It is a tense wait for the families of the policemen who are believed to have been abducted by Maoists in Chhattisgarh more than a week ago. A 48-hour deadline set by the Naxals has ended and there is no word on whether they're safe.
Subhash Patre had left home in August after celebrating the first birthday of his younger daughter Gracy. His wife Manjubala says that was the last time they met him.
"The government gave us assurances but they are not able to do anything. That is why I am appealing directly. Please release my husband," she said.
Subash was among seven policemen abducted by Maoists on September 19. The bodies of three constables were found the day after. A 48-hour deadline set by Maoists for the conditional release of the rest of their captives expired on Tuesday evening.
Top police officials in Chhattisgarh have told the families they are hopeful that the hostages will be released safely. The reason for their optimism is not because there are any positive developments to indicate that but because, they say, Maoists usually don't wait to execute. And no news so far in that sense... can be read as good news, they say.
Another reason for optimism is the appeal issued by top Maoist sympathisers for the unconditional release of the policemen held hostage.
"Operation Greenhunt should be stopped. But that cannot be used as a reason to harm or kill the policemen," said Varavara Rao, a revolutionary writer and a Maoist sympathiser.
The policemen were taken hostage from Bhopalpatnam on the Andhra-Chhattisgarh border. While the police have launched search operations in the area, they have not made any headway. Nor has any mediation effort taken place. And accepting the Maoist demand to stop Operation Greenhunt is not an option, the government would accept.