Chhattisgarh renews efforts to find abducted cops

RAIPUR - The Chhattisgarh government renewed efforts Saturday and sought help from Andhra Pradesh to secure the release of four policemen who are believed to be in the captivity of Maoists since Sep 19, police sources said.

Maoists had kidnapped seven policemen Sep 19 from Bhopalpatnam area of Bijapur district close to Andhra Pradesh border and had killed three of them a day later. The remaining four are still untraced, sources at the police headquarters here said.

An assistant sub-inspector, S. Bhagat, and three constables are in Maoist captivity and the ultras have probably been shifting them from one densely forested location to another between Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, a police official said.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has also appealed to the Maoists to release the policemen on humanitarian grounds.

The Maoists have not established contact with the authorities or made any announcements confirming the abduction or stating demands for their release.