Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday expressed confidence that the abducted CoBRA commando held hostage by Naxals after a recent gun battle with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district would "return safely".
Sinha said efforts being made for the release of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commando Rakeshwar Singh Minhas cannot be made public.
“I want to tell you that the Union home minister (Amit Shah) and Chhattisgarh chief minister (Bhupesh Baghel) are keeping an eye on the situation. Our sympathies are with the (abducted) jawan and we are convinced that he will return hale and hearty. The god will return him safely (to us),” the Lt Governor told reporters on the sidelines of a function in the Kathua district.
Read: Chhattisgarh Maoist attack: Photo of abducted Jawan surfaces on social media
Relatives of the CRPF jawan blocked the Jammu-Poonch highway here on Wednesday, demanding an assurance from the government for his safe release.
Thirty-one jawans were injured while CoBRA commando Minhas, belonging to its 210th battalion, went missing after the gunfight that took place along the Bijapur-Sukma border on Saturday and was stated to have been taken hostage.
Twenty-two personnel from various security forces like the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) of the CRPF, its Bastariya battalion and those from the District Reserve Guard and STF of the Chhattisgarh Police were killed in the ambush.
“The efforts (for the release of the jawan) are not such that can be made public,” the Lt Governor said.
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