Bihar police decides to step up operations against Maoists

"The Maoists claim that they have killed one of the hostages, though we are yet to get any evidence of it. But as they have set a deadline of 10:00 am tomorrow, what is the guarantee that they will release the remaining three?" ADG (Hqs) P K Thakur said after a meeting at the chief minister's official bungalow.

"In the given circumstances, we are left with no option other than further stepping up the operations for the safe release of the hostages," Thakur told reporters after the meeting presided over by the chief minister.

Avinash, a self-proclaimed Maoist spokesman, telephoned media offices here, claiming that one of the hostages, sub-inspector, Abhay Yadav, had been killed after the expiry of the deadline today for freeing eight ultras in jail in exchange for the release of the hostages. He warned the remaining three hostages would be killed if the state government did not concede the demand by 10:00 am tomorrow.

After the chief minister's offer of talks, he again rang up media houses to inform that the slain sub-inspctor's body would be left near a police station between 10:00 and 11:00 pm tonight and the police and media would be informed about it. On the offer of talks, he said "if the state government is at all interested in talks we can be contacted on 09572825434."

The Maoists had kidnapped sub-inspectors Rupesh Kumar and Abhay Prasad Yadav, BMP havildar Ehtesham Khan and BMP ASI Lucas Tete after the encounter in Kajra police station area on Sunday, which had left eight policemen dead.