Maoist leader assures family of sub-inspector on his release: TV channel

Family members of kidnapped sub-inspector Abhay Prasad Yadav, one of the three Bihar policemen abducted by Maoists, were today told by a self-proclaimed rebel leader that he would return home shortly.

The Maoist leader, who turned up at Yadav's home in Khagaria identified himself as 'Kishanji' and assured the family that Yadav would be released shortly, according to footage beamed by a local TV channel.

"Naxalites do have mothers and sisters and we don't want your family to grieve anymore," the man, wearing a saffron turban, said while accepting a 'rakhi' from the sub-inspector's wife, Rajni.

"We have decided to free him after being influenced by your emotional outburst...," he said before leaving.

Inspector general of police (Operations) KS Dwivedi said, "We too have seen the footage, but we don't know the identity of the person as yet."

Besides Yadav, the Maoists had kidnapped another sub-inspector Rupesh Kumar, assistant sub-inspector Lucas Tete and Bihar Military Police havaldar Ehtesham Khan during an encounter in Lakhisarai district last Sunday.

They later killed Tete and left his body on the road.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had last evening appealed to the Maoists to free the three remaining hostages and offered safe passage to the Naxals to hold talks.