Freed cop wants Maoists and govt to talk

"I will tell the government and supporters of Maoist groups to go for talks and not to indulge in such (violent) activities," Dutta told mediapersons deep inside the Domohoni jungles of West Midnapore district, as he was handed over to mediapersons by the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) leader Koteshwar Rao alias Kishanjee.

Dutta, the officer-in-charge of Sankrail police station, looked fit as he was presented to mediapersons around 7.30 p.m.

On the front of his sweater, the Maoists had pinned a piece of cloth on which was written in English and Bengali "P.O.W (Prisoner of War)'s freedom conference".
Kishanjee, his face covered with a cloth and with his back to the camera and a rifle dangling from his shoulder, declared Dutta free.

"He is our first ever P.O.W. And he is also the first P.O.W to be released," Kishanjee said, surrounded by well built and well-armed Maoists. All of them had their faces covered.

Dutta said he was now free of mental anxiety.
Recounting his stay with the Maoists, Dutta said: "They took me away on a motor bike by blindfolding me. I was shifted from one place to another. But they did not torture me.

"Nor did they try to create any mental pressure on me. They shared their food with me. I was given puffed rice, rice, pulses, vegetables.
"When they took me, they were very aggressive. But soon after abducting me, their mood changed. And from then on, they cooperated with me. And last night they told me I will be released," he said.

Dutta told his family not to worry about him. "I am looking forward to be with my aged  parents, wife and two-year-old daughter."
Asked whether he will continue with the police, he replied: "I will take a decision on this after speaking with my family members."
Asked whether he thought security in police stations needed to be beefed up, Dutta said "There is need to increase security provisions in every police station or in officer-in-charge's house."

Dutta said he had not seen the Maoists shoot his two colleagues, second officer Dibakar Bhattacharya and assistant sub-inspector Swapan Roy. "I was not there then. I only heard the sounds."