Raipur: The missing COBRA battalion jawan, resident of Jammu Kashmir was finally traced after 36 hours of Maoists incident in Bijapur. He is informed to be living under detention of the Maoists as a captive. The daughter of the jawan released a video on Sunday urging the Maoists guerrillas to release him unconditionally.
The little girl said in a video message, Mere Papa ko Chod do (release my father).
The video was released just after the message went viral on social media that the missing jawan of COBRA battalion Rakeshwar Singh Manhas, was held captive by the Maoists.
The paramilitary jawan went missing, after the encounter ended on Saturday and the rescue team reached the site unable to find him. He was taken hostage by the Maoists.
Two journalists of Bijapur, received calls from the Maoists on Monday, regarding this.
Ganesh Mishra also the president of the Bijapur Press Club while speaking to FPJ said, he and journalist Raja Rathore received a call from unknown number where the person without disclosing his name said the missing jawan (Rakeshwar Singh Manhas) was with them and they will release the jawan in two-three days.
The kidnapped jawan was living under confinement of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) battalion number 1, headed by dreaded commander Madvi Hidma.
Hidma is on the top in the police wanted list. Police put a reward of Rs 40 lakh on his head. Meanwhile, it is the same battalion which ambushed more than 2000 strong the joint security forces team comprises with STF, DRG, COBRA, CRPF in Bijapur’s Maoist stronghold Jagargunda-Jonaguda-Tarrem belt and killed 22 security forces jawans besides leaving 31 injured.
Earlier news circulated on social media claimed the Maoist commander Hidma phoned the SP Bijapur in the context.
Bijapur Superintendent of Police Kamlochan Kashyap speaking to media denied of received any such phone call from the Maoists but when he was told about journalists getting calls from the ultras about the missing jawan being in their possession, the Bijapur said, “Yes the jawan might be living in the detention the maoists as security forces searched for him after the incident in five-six kilometer periphery but could not trace him.”
The efforts to trace the jawan and rescue him is on war footing, we are also trying to find out the location of the phone calls, SP Kashyap added.
