Cop family hold on to hope

Six days have passed since Maoists abducted cop Ehsan Khan, but his wife Rubian Khatoon is hopeful of his safe return.

Six days have passed since Maoists abducted cop Ehsan Khan, but his wife Rubian Khatoon is hopeful of his safe return.

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Even after receiving news of the killing of Lucas Tete, one of the four policemen taken hostage by the rebels.

"I have firm belief in Allah," she told mediapersons gathered at her Goregaon residence, 60 km west of Ranchi, on Saturday.

The devout Khatoon has been fasting during the holy month of Ramzan. The couple have four children.

The entire locality, comprising 500 Muslim families, has been praying for Ehsan.

"We hope Almighty will not disappoint us in this holy month," said Ekram Khan, a childhood friend of Ehsan.

Besides Tete and Ehsan, Abhay Kumar Yadav and Rupesh Kumar Sinha were kidnapped by Maoists after a six-hour gunfight in Bihar's Lakhisarai district last Sunday. The gunbattle left seven policemen dead and 10 injured.

Ehsan joined the Bihar police department 17 years ago.

The rebels have said that the three policemen are safe. But Ehsan's father Moinuddin Khan is fast losing hope.

Ehsan's eldest daughter, Saina Khatoon, 12, is also praying.

"We want him home before Eid," the 12-year-old said, who is also fasting with the elders in the house.

Muslim organisations in the state have urged the state government to initiate dialogue with the Maoists instead of intensifying anti-Naxal operations.

Local legislator and former HRD minister Bandhu Tirkey said he was leaving no stone unturned to help the family.