Abducted CoBRA jawan Rakeshwar Singh Manhas released by Naxals after six days of captivity

Raipur, Apr 08: The Naxal group, which ambushed a team of security personnel in Chhattisgarh recently, on Thursday released Commando Battalions for Resolute Action (CoBRA) jawan Rakeshwar Singh Manhas, who was abducted after the recent Bijapur ambush.

Manhas is a COBRA battalion jawan, who is a resident of Jammu and Kashmir.

They said constable Rakeshwar Singh Manhas of the 210th Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) was freed by the Maoists after a team of two eminent people, including a person from the tribal community, was nominated by the state government to secure his release.

''The jawan is in good health condition. He had splinter injuries when I saw him at the Naxal camp. He stated that Naxals caught him on the next day of the attack,'' Ganesh Mishra, a journalist from Bijapur, Chhattisgarh said.

''Today is the happiest day of my life. I always remained hopeful of his return. I thank the government,'' Meenu, wife of CRPF jawan Rakeshwar Singh Manhas said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to the CoBRA commando who was released by the Naxals, officials said In his telephonic conversation, Shah enquired about constable Rakeshwar Singh Manhas' wellbeing, a home ministry official said.

The CoBRA commando, who belongs to the 210th Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), was abducted by Naxals after the Bijapur ambush in Chhattisgarh on April 3 in which 22 security personnel were killed.

Manhas was freed by the Maoists this evening after a team of few eminent people, including a person from the tribal community, was nominated by the state government to secure his release.

The group had promised the Chhattisgarh government that they will release the jawan and sought names of govt mediators to negotiate the release.

Earlier, in the press release, the Naxals have claimed they have CRPF jawan Rajeshwar Singh Manhas in their custody and he is safe and sound. They said they will release the jawan once the government sends a party to negotiate their release.

At least 22 security personnel lost their lives while 31 sustained injuries in the encounter that broke out between security forces and Naxals along the Sukma-Bijapur border on Saturday after a party of jawans was ambushed by Naxals near Jonnaguda village in Chhattisgarh.