Maoists claim to have killed hostage cop in Bihar, no official confirmation

Maoists today claimed to have killed one of the four policemen abducted by them from Lakhisarai district of Bihar, but there was no confirmation by the police.

Avinash, who claimed to be a Maoist spokesperson, claimed that sub-inspector Abhay Yadav, one of the hostages, had been killed after the expiry of the deadline to free eight extremists in jail.

But Bihar's director general of police Neelmani said there was no evidence of the Maoists having killed any hostage. "Search operations have been intensified for the hostages," he said.

Avinash also threatened to kill the three other policemen being held captive by 10am tomorrow if the state government failed to comply with the Maoists' demand.

Maoists had abducted sub-inspectors Yadav and Rupesh Kumar, Bihar Military Police (BMP) havaldar Ehtesham Khan and assistant sub-inspector Lucas Tete after an encounter in the Kajra police station area on Sunday, in which eight policemen were killed.

Neelmani denied that the state government was negotiating with the Maoists. "It is absolutely wrong," the police chief said. "Neither the state government nor anyone from among the police at any level is negotiating with the Maoists for the release of the four policemen.

"We are doing what we have to do," he said referring to the massive search operations in the hills in Munger, Jamui and Lakhisarai districts.

In New Delhi, however, Union home secretary GK Pillai said "the state government is now negotiating with the Maoists and, therefore, we are extending full cooperation and we hope that there would be a successful outcome".

A highly placed source in the state government said a top state official had apprised the Union home ministry of the situation.

Inspector-general of police (operations) KS Dwivedi said from Lakhisarai that the Central Reserve Police Force, BMP and the special task force of the Bihar police were continuing the search for the abducted policemen.

"We have specific information about where the policemen are being held captive," Dwivedi said. "The people are cooperating in the drive against Maoists."

Despite indication by the Bihar government that it might consider holding talks with the Maoists for securing release of the kidnapped policemen, no response from the extremists reached the state police headquarters, official sources said.

"We may think of holding talks, but with whom at this stage? Should we talk to people in the air? They (Maoists) have not officially approached us as yet on any demand," DGP Neelmani had said yesterday.

Official sources said chief minister Nitish Kumar was also monitoring the progress of the operation with the CRPF using helicopters to search for the policemen.

Meanwhile, several political parties and organisations, besides the families of the abducted policemen appealed to the Maoists to release them unconditionally.

The chief minister held a high-level meeting with top officials to discuss the measures taken for securing release of the kidnapped policemen.

Principal secretary (home) Amir Subhani, the DGP and additional director general of police (headquarters) PK Thakur attended the meeting, officials said.

The family members of the kidnapped policemen tried to meet the chief minister again today seeking his intervention for the release of the hostages.