Raipur (Chhattisgarh): The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan Rakeshwar Singh Manhas, who went missing since the deadly encounter in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur, has been released by Maoists.
The banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) had previously shared a photo of the commando in their custody. Here is an exclusive image of him taken after his release.
CRPF's Rakeshwar Singh Manhas, from the 3.25 lakh strong paramilitary force's elite CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), went missing during a fierce gun battle with a platoon of over 300 People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district last week in which 22 security personnel were killed and 31 injured.
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According to official sources, Rakeshwar Singh 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 jawan has been handed over to CRPF's Deputy Inspector General (Bijapur) Komal Singh at the Basaguda camp in Bijapur and his medical checkup is underway, sources in the paramilitary force said as reported by news agency PTI.
They also informed that the jawan will be kept at a camp and will soon be put through a "debriefing" session to determine the circumstances as to how he was taken away by the Maoists and what happened with him during the custody.
The Family of Rakeshwar Singh Manhas who had been anxious over his capture finally got to celebrate his release. Reacting to this good news, the CRPF jawan's wife Meenu said: "Today is the happiest day of my life. I always remained hopeful of his return. I thank the government".
Earlier, Bijapur-based reporter Ganesh Mishra had claimed that the Naxalites contacted him on Tuesday evening at about 5 PM. He informed: "I got a call from their spokesperson through an unknown number. The jawan was shot, medical treatment is being given, and is in stable condition".
According to him, he was told "We will release the jawan in two days if a team is constituted by the government for talks with them. The Maoists want the government to give a confirmation of who will be in the mediation panel from their end".
The reporter further claimed that the Maoist group demanded the state government to appoint a team of mediators for the release of the commando.