Bihar hostage crisis over

The week-long hostage crisis in Bihar is finally over with the Maoists releasing three abducted cops - Sub-Inspector Abhay Prasad Yadav, Havaldar Mohammad Ehsaan and Trainee Sub-Inspector Rupesh Kumar Sinha.

Maoists on Monday released the three abducted Bihar policemen in Lakhisarai district, bringing an end to a week-long hostage crisis.

The three policemen - Sub-Inspector Abhay Prasad Yadav, Havaldar Mohammad Ehsaan 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.

The policemen were brought to the Lakhisarai police station.
Police have confirmed that their condition is fine. The doctor who examined the three cops also said there were no physical injuries.
The Maoists had earlier killed one of the captive policemen, Lukas Tete.

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.

Seen here, cops pay homage to late Havaldar Lukas Tete.
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.

In this pic, prayer service and guard of honour for Lukas Tete.

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".