Lakhisarai encounter: Naxal deadline for releasing captured cops ends today

PATNA - The deadline set by Maoists for the release of their jailed comrades in exchange for the four cops kidnapped from Bihar’s Lakhisarai district ends today.

They have extended the deadline after the 4 pm deadline on Wednesday went by without the Bihar Government accepting their demands.

The Naxals have threatened to kill the cops if their demands are not met. They want their jailed colleagues to be released and security forces withdrawn from Naxal areas.

The four policemen - Mohammad Ehsaan, Rupesh Kumar Sinha, Abhay Prasad Yadav, Lokus Tete- were taken hostage on Sunday, during an encounter in the forests of Lakhisarai. Seven other policemen were killed and eleven others were injured.

The encounter began on Sunday evening when over 150 armed Maoists attacked search teams of the Bihar police that were combing the area after intelligence reports of Maoists” presence in the forest.

Earlier, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced compensation packages for the security forces killed in the encounter.

Kumar said the State police would carry out the necessary operations to find out the number of Maoists and their hideout in the forest area

“The police will assess the situation, and about the number of members in the group or any other details, or even going to the area. And to find out about their cover, all those things and the whole incident will be investigated, and they will tell us about it. We”ll take necessary steps as and when needed,” said Kumar.(ANI)