Maoists release abducted police officer after 10 days

DGP Manmohan Praharaj said Umesh Chandra Marandi was released at Palaspala forest, about 200 km from here, this afternoon and he was fine. A local tribal was engaged by Maoists to escort him through the jungle roads.

"Efforts are on to bring Marandi to the state capital for a through medical check up," Praharaj told PTI.Marandi was abducted by armed ultras during an attack on Daitari police station on July 7 night.

Information about Marandi's release was first passed on to the media after which police sent a team and an ambulance to bring him back.Though the Maoists had set certain conditions for the release, the state government did not respond to them.

"We came to know about Marandi's release from the media," Keonjhar Superintendent of Police Asish Singh said, adding the ambulance picked up the officer from Rebana-Palaspala road.

Accompanied by Singh, Marandi was taken to meet his family members before being sent for medical examination.

Maoist leader Sushil, who informed media persons regarding release of Marandi said they decided to set him free as he belonged to the tribal community.This apart, appeals from different quarters including one from Shantali Samaj and journalists, were taken into consideration by CPI-Maoist, Sushil said, adding that Marandi was also a diabetic.

Maintaining that he was treated well by abductors, Marandi said he was given food and medicine even inside the dense jungle where he was kept for 10 days.Meanwhile, residents of Marandi's native village at Suluadhar under Suliapada block in Mayurbhanj district celebrated his release.