Bihar: Police intensify search against Maoists in Gaya abduction case

While the two employees were released on Monday (December 25), Maoists have demanded Rs.30 lakh ransom for the release of Shahbaz Khan, police said

Central security agencies have joined the Special Task Force (STF) of the Bihar police to try to locate and rescue the manager of a Gaya-based bridge construction company, who was abducted by Maoists on December 24, police said.

Gaya senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ashish Bharti (Twitter Photo)

Gaya senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ashish Bharti said the team has intensified the coordinated intelligence gathering and search operations. “Drone cameras and other equipment are also being used in the operation to locate the ultra,” he said. The forces have prioritised the safe release of the abducted staff.

According to the police, the Maoist zonal squad led by its commander Vivek Yadav, who had taken charge last year, is said to be behind the abduction of the manager, Shahbaz Khan, a resident of Dhanbad in Jharkhand.

Police said that Yadav had lately stepped up efforts to raise collections from construction firms in the region to revive the organisation and was suspected of being involved in multiple cases of attacks on construction company camps and burning of their equipment.

While the two other employees who were also abducted by the Maoists were released on Monday (December 25), they demanded a Rs.30 lakh ransom for the release of Shahbaz Khan, police said.

According to the people aware of the matter, the search team on Wednesday arrested Maoist-turned-criminal Manoj Yadav, involved in over eight cases of extortion, murder, and abduction, and Kuhu Yadav, who was on bail but was absent from home from the night of the abduction, in connection with the abduction of Khan.

The duo have been detained and are being interrogated, police said.