Opposition flays Soren on delay in abducted BDO's release

With the Maoists still keeping Block Development Officer Prashant Kumar Layek in its custody a week after abducting him from Dalbhumgarh, the opposition Congress on Friday asked Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren to explain the reason behind the delay.

With the Maoists still keeping Block Development Officer Prashant Kumar Layek in its custody a week after abducting him from Dalbhumgarh, the opposition Congress on Friday asked Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren to explain the reason behind the delay.

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"We have been insisting for an all-party meeting on the Maoist problem for long. But Chief Minister Shibu Soren neither called any meeting nor he went to Kolkata for the Chief Ministers' conference chaired by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Naxalism," leader of the Opposition Rajendra Singh said.

Demanding immediate release of the BDO, Singh said, "The government accepted the Maoists' demands on Wednesday, but it seems the rebels have ignored it. The government should explain on the delay in BDO's release."

The Maoists, who kidnapped Layek last week and set some conditions to set him free, have not yet said anything after extending deadlines twice over the week.

Worried over the Maoists continuing to keep the BDO in its custody for the seventh day, the CPI(M)'s central committee member J S Majumdar said though the government's acceptance of a condition was a wrong step as it gave a wrong signal, the initiation could be backed to some extent as human life is every important.