Freed by Naxals, policeman returns home

The Naxals released Atindranath Dutta, the West Bengal policeman, on Thursday evening after 54 hours of captivity. Dutta was the officer-in-charge of the Sankrail police station in West Midnapore, which Naxals stormed on Tuesday. Two policemen were killed in the attack and Dutta was blindfolded, forced to sit on a motorcycle and abducted. The Naxals had said that Dutta would be treated as a prisoner of war and would not be harmed if the government met some of their demands. (NDTV Photo)

The Naxals released Dutta at a village near Lalgarh after striking a deal with the state government that allows 14 jailed tribal women to walk free. A court in Midnapore granted them bail. They are among a group of 60 women in prison who the Naxals want released. (NDTV Photo)

Dutta was handed over to the police by the Naxals and taken to safe territory. (NDTV Photo)

Atindranath Dutta being driven home after he was released by the Naxals. (NDTV Photo)

It was relief at last for the family of Atindranath Dutta who said the Naxals were initially rude to him, but then things changed, and they became polite. (NDTV Photo)

Atindranath Dutta however is not sure whether he wants to go back to being a police officer in the Naxal stronghold. He says he wants to discuss his next move with his family. (NDTV Photo)

Dutta's abductor, Naxal leader Kishanji held a bizarre photo-op with the media just before releasing him. With his back towards the cameras, he rejected the Centre’s conditions for talks, saying surrendering arms cannot be a precondition for talks.

When asked in what condition would he sit for talks, Kishanji said: “The first and foremost condition is that they must withdraw all forces from our area.” (NDTV Photo)

Soon after his release, Dutta was surrounded by mediapersons. Seen here, next to Dutta (R) is NDTV's Monideepa Banerjie from Kolkata. (NDTV Photo)

Dutta was abducted after an attack on Sankrail police station. The Naxals who far outnumbered the police, stole several arms, shot dead at least one officer and then kidnapped Atindranath Dutta. The group had 22 motorcycles with them. (NDTV Photo)

Dutta's wife, Indrani Dutta seen here with her daughter after a meeting with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in Kolkata. Indrani had reached out to the goverenment urging them to help her in securing her husband's release. (PTI Photo)

The day Naxals kidnapped Atindranath Dutta, they also shot dead police officer Dibakar Bhattacharya who was stationed at the same police station.

Seen here, is the policeman's body, who was shot dead inside the police station. (PTI Photo)

Seen here is the chair Dibakar Bhattacharya was sitting on when he was shot at by Naxals. Still bloody from the attack, if it could talk, it would regale the story of a cop who was martyred before he could even join the action. (NDTV Photo)

The Naxals stormed into Dibakar Bhattacharya's office through this door, leaving behind a bloody trail. (NDTV Photo)

A State Bank of India branch with its shutters down stands testimony to the brutal attack that took place across the road at Sankrail Police Station, killing Dibakar Bhattacharya and leading to Dutta's kidnap. The bank was attacked minutes ago by the same group of Naxals who decamped with Rs nine lakh in cash. (NDTV Photo)