Positive development in CoBRA commando’s rescue: Chhattisgarh Police

Rakeshwar Singh Mahnas, a commando of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)’s elite CoBRA unit -- went missing after the Maoist attack that left 22 security personnel dead and many others injured

Chhattisgarh police said on Thursday that there are some positive developments in the efforts in secure release of the CoBRA commando abducted by Maoists on April 3 following an ambush at the borders of Sukma and Bijapur districts of Bastar region.

Locals and family members of CRPF jawan Rakeshwar Singh Manhas block the Jammu-Akhnoor highway demanding his release, in Jammu on Wednesday, April 7. (ANI)

However, the state government has yet not appointed interlocutors as demanded by Maoists in their press release on Tuesday.

Rakeshwar Singh Mahnas, a commando of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)’s elite CoBRA unit -- went missing after the Maoist attack that left 22 security personnel dead and many others injured.

“Efforts are on to bring back the abducted CoBRA jawan safely. There are few positive developments in this direction since Thursday morning. Details would be disclosed once some concrete breakthrough is achieved in this regard,” said IG Bastar, Sunderaj P.

On Wednesday , a photograph of the commando was released purportedly by Maoists who had demanded that a mediator be appointed by the government to negotiate Manhas’s release.

The commando’s photograph, which was circulating on social media, surfaced on a day his family protested in Jammu, demanding that the government facilitate his swift return.

A day before that, the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) issued a press release, signed by its spokesperson Vikalp, asking the government to decide on a mediator to discuss Manhas’s release. The note, issued by the Maoist Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee said, “The state government should appoint an interlocutor, we will then hand over the jawan to them. Until then, he will be safe in the custody of Jantana Sarkar.”