Naxalites have said in the statement that one jawan has been held captive. It has asked the government to first announce the names of the intermediaries.
New Delhi| The Naxalites have released a picture of Rakeshwar Singh Manhas, the cobra commando who was missing since the encounter on Saturday at the Bijapur-Sukma border in Chhattisgarh. On Tuesday itself, the Naxalites had issued a statement saying that the Cobra jawan missing since April 3 is in their captivity. On the other hand, Rakeshwar Singh’s family is protesting demanding his safe release.
According to the reports, on Wednesday, Naxalites released the photo of Rakeshwar Singh. In the picture, he is sitting and looking healthy. Sukma’s local journalists have claimed that the Naxalites have sent them a picture of a cobra jawan.
In Bijapur attack,24 security personnel lost lives,31 injured & 1 in our custody. 4 People's Liberation Guerrilla Army personnel lost lives. Ready to negotiate with govt,they can announce mediators. Will release him. Police Jawans not our enemies:Communist Party of India (Maoist) pic.twitter.com/oMRFZaiBeb
— ANI (@ANI) April 7, 2021
In the encounter on April 3, 22 soldiers were martyred and 31 injured are being treated. Rakeshwar Singh Manhas, a Jawan of CRPF’s Cobra Battalion, is missing since the encounter. Naxalites have written a letter stating that the jawan is in their possession. However, the Naxalites have also placed a condition that the government appoint an arbitrator after which they will release the jawan.
Maoists Ask Govt To Appoint Arbitrators
The Maoists issued a statement on Tuesday, saying that on April 3, two thousand security forces had reached near Jeeragudem village to attack, the PLGA has attacked it. In this action, 24 soldiers were killed and 31 were injured. Naxalites have said in the statement that one jawan has been held captive while other jawans have fled from there. The statement has said that the government should first announce the names of the intermediaries, after which the captive jawan will be handed over, till then he will be under the protection of the Janatana government.
The family staged a sit-in, blocked the road
On the other hand, hundreds of people, including relatives of CRPF commandos, blocked the road on Wednesday. They demanded that Cobra Commando Rakeshwar Singh Manhas be released as soon as possible. The family members and others have demanded that Govt should ensure the release of Rakeshwar Singh as it did in the case of Abhinandan Varthaman from Pakistan.
Rakeshwar Singh’s wife questions govt
Rakeshwar Singh’s wife Meenu has questioned the government over the entire matter. She has said that if a jawan delays his arrival on duty then action is taken against him, but now when a jawan is missing from April 3, the government is sitting silent.
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