Maoists free abducted cop in Orissa

BHUBANESWAR - Maoist rebels Saturday freed a police officer whom they kidnapped earlier this month after attacking a security post in Orissa’s Keonjhar district, police said.

Assistant Sub Inspector Umesh Marandi was abducted from Daitari, about 150 km from here, July 7.

“They have released him. He was sick and there seems to be some impact on his health,” Superintendent of Police A.K. Singh told IANS.

A man claiming to be a Maoist leader also informed television channel OTV that the officer was released near a road on the border of Keonjhar and Jajpur district.

The Maoists, enforcing a two-day shutdown to protest the killing of a top leader, had abducted Marandi and demanded through television channels the release of at least 68 tribals.

Although the state did not fulfil their demand, the officer was released after several tribal leaders and the victim’s family made an emotional appeal, the Maoist leader said.