Kidnapped Maharashtra official freed after 78 days

Pune, Aug 2: Vijay S Bardekar, Senior Maharashtra bureaucrat, who was kidnapped on May 13 from Arunachal Pradesh where he had gone on a vacation, has been released after 78 days, a family member said in Pune on Monday, Aug 2.

Vijay S Bardekar is expected to return to his home town on Tuesday, Aug 3.

He was handed over to his family members who are currently in Guwahati, former Maharashtra inspector general of police and Baredkar's uncle SS Suradkar said.

"It was because of the prayers of people of Maharashtra and other parts of India, and the strong efforts by Maharashtra Forest Minister Patangrao Kadam and others which brought joy to the family," Suradkar said.

Bardekar was kidnapped from Daimara village in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh when he was preparing to spend the night there.

Two other locals accompanying him were brutally assaulted by the suspected militants, who abducted Bardekar.

Bardekar, is a 1984 batch Indian Forest Service official and is currently posted as joint director (administration) in the social forestry directorate in Pune.

OneIndia News