Bihar police to investigate hostage incident

Patna, Sep.6 (ANI): The Bihar police will conduct a probe into the incident of abduction of four policemen, one of whom was killed a few days ago and three others were freed from Naxals' captivity in the wee hours of Monday.

The decision to conduct investigation has been taken after the release of three hostages today in the Chanan forest of Bihar's Lakhisarai district, ending nine-days of their captivity by Naxals.

According to Inspector General of police, Bhagalpur range, an investigation would be conducted into the hostage incident, which was precipitated after a fierce gun-battle of police personnel with Maoists in which eight policemen were killed.

"We have lost eight policemen in this whole incident. Whoever is responsible for this incident, they will be brought under the scanner of law. Whatever information we have received now, we will carry out an investigation, and will hold a press conference on this incident where the State chief will brief in Patna. There, the information regarding the whole incident would be explained," said Inspector General of Police A. K. Ambedkar.

On Aug.29, Maoists had kidnapped four policemen-- Sub-Inspectors Rupesh Kumar Sinha and Abhay Kumar Yadav of Bihar Police, Assistant Sub Inspector Lucas Tete, and Havaldar (Constable) Ehsaan Khan of Bihar Military Police-after a gun battle in the forests of Lakhisarai district of Bihar.

The Maoists wanted to use the four hostages to bargain for the release of eight of their cadres.

One of them was Lucas Tete, whose bullet-ridden body was later recovered along with a note in the forest on Friday (September 3).

The State government launched a massive combing operation in the dense forests of the district to trace and free the abducted security personnel after the death of one of the policemen.

The Bihar government has sought 4,000 additional paramilitary forces from the Central government to deal with the rising Maoist violence.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called the Maoists India's gravest internal security threat. (ANI)