School kids held hostage

Chhatarpur(MP), Feb 27 (UNI) A total of 19 students of a private primary school at Chithahari village in this district were held hostage at gun point for few hours yesterday by an absconding criminal in order to force the villagers to change their statement against him.

Police said Virpal, who was evading arrest since he was made an accused in the murder of Bhagwan Das Rajput at Bhidka village in March last year, held the children in captivity at the class room after forcing the teacher to move out.

Threatening the children and teacher with a country-made pistol, he demanded that the villagers should change their statement against him claiming he was innocent.

However, Virpal surrendered before the police who reached the village in the evening on a tip-off by the villagers, police said.

UNI