India: Bihar CM offers talks to Maoists who abducted cops

There is no news about the fate of three cops abducted in Bihar after one of them was found killed on Friday even as a desperate Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said that he was ready to talk with the Maoists. 'We will give free passage to those Maoists who come for talks', Nitish Kumar said in Patna.

Meanwhile, Congress General secretary and MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said he prayed for well-being of the three policemen kidnapped by the Maoists during a fierce encounter in Lakhisarai district. "I pray for the policemen taken hostage by the Maoists from Lakhisarai... I also pray for the one who was killed (by the Maoists)," Gandhi told a rally Samastipur. Assistant sub-inspector Lucas Tete’s bullet-ridden body was recovered from Lakhisarai.

In a setback to the Maoists, seven suspected Maoists were arrested in Munger during the intensified search by security forces for securing the release of the abducted cops. "We have arrested seven suspected Naxalites from forests during combing operations," deputy superintendent of police AK Chandra said.

Those arrested were identified as Suresh Marandi, Rajendra Hembrom, Vinod Marandi, Tanik Lal Tutu, Shatrughan Koda, Sanjay Kumar Ram and Kapil Koda, he said. They were taken to police station for interrogation.

- Asian Tribune -