A day after allegedly releasing a statement claiming that they abducted a jawan during a recent gun battle with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Sukma and Bijapur districts borders on last Saturday, the Maoists on Wednesday released the picture of missing Central Reserve Police Force’s Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) commando Rakeshwar Singh Minhas.

Police has said they have established contact with the group of Maoists who abducted a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commando after the April 3 encounter and demanded that the State government announce a mediator for the release of the commando.

Refusing to divulge details on the negotiation, a senior police official said that the commando would be brought back soon.

The abducted commando, identified as Rakeshwar Singh Minhas, belongs to the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) unit of the CRPF, which is specially trained for operations in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas.

News agency ANI has mentioned CRPF sources as saying: "A photo released by Naxals has been circulating in media, jawan in the photo is missing CoBRA jawan. Appropriate action is being taken."

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P told news agency PTI: "The authenticity of the statement issued by Maoists claiming that they have held hostage the jawan is being verified. Further action will be taken accordingly."

“There are positive developments and the commando has been located. We cannot launch an operation as it would risk his life,” said the official.

The wife of the CRPF jawan said that her family wants the government to look for a mediator so that her husband could be released.

"If a jawan reports to his duty a day after his leave ends, action is taken against him. Now that a jawan is missing since April 3, no action has been taken by the government. We want the government to search for a mediator so that he is released," said Meenu.

Twenty-two personnel from various security forces like the CoBRA of the CRPF, its Bastariya battalion and those from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Special Task Force (STF) of the Chhattisgarh Police were killed in the ambush that occurred along the Bijapur-Sukma border on Saturday.

They are confident that just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi rescued Wing Commander Abhinandan from Pakistan, Rakeshwar Singh will also return safely.

We want the entire country to be a part of the campaign to protect the lives of all young men who don't hesitate to give up their lives to protect us. We demand the release of Rakeshwar Singh from the clutches of Naxalites.

(Inputs from agencies)

Image Source: India Today