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“Please, free my father,” pleaded the five-year-old daughter of Rakeshwar Singh Manhas, a CoBRA (CRPF) commando kidnapped by Naxals after an attack in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh.
Manhas, a resident of Jammu & Kashmir, was finally traced after 36 hours of the shoot-out with Maoists. He is reported to be held hostage by the Maoists.
Manhas’ daughter released a video on Sunday, 4 March, urging the Maoists to release her father.
Two journalists from Bijapur are said to have received calls from the Maoists on Monday post the kidnapping.
Ganesh Mishra, president of the Bijapur Press Club, while speaking to media, said, "Journalist Raja Rathore and I received calls from unknown numbers. The callers, without disclosing their identity, said Manhas was with them and that they will release the jawan in two-three days.”
It is the same naxal battalion which ambushed the 2,000-strong joint security forces team, comprising STF, DRG, COBRA and CRPF personnel, in Bijapur's Maoist stronghold – the Jagargunda-Jonaguda-Tarrem belt – and killed 22 security jawans and injured 31.
When told about journalists getting calls from Maoists about the missing jawan being in their possession. Kashyap said, “Yes, the jawan could be living in detention under the Maoists. Security forces searched for him after the incident in a five-six kilometre periphery, but could not trace him.”
“Rescuing him is our priority. We are also trying to trace the phone calls,” SP Kashyap said.
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