The Hindu : Naxals release policemen

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 12, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Naxals release policemen

By Our Staff Reporter

ONGOLE APRIL 11. The 10-day hostage crisis, which created a sensation across the State, ended smoothly with People's War naxalites releasing the three policemen in their captivity in the wee hours of Friday at a place near Dornala in Prakasam district. The abducted policemen -- the Pedaraveedu SI, P. Anjaneyulu, the ASI (Communications), M. Subba Rao, and the constable, S. Brahmendrakumar -- were let off by the naxalites at a point in the Nallamala forest, 10 km from Dornala.

It was 6 a.m when they reached Markapur and met the Guntur range IG, P. Chandrasekhar Reddy, and the SP, Charu Sinha. The naxalites set free the home guard, D. Babu Rao, a couple of days ago.

On seeing the policemen at the hunger strike camp, their wives and relatives were ecstatic. The mood at the camp was jubilant.

The policemen's wives, who have been on hunger strike for the past four days demanding their release, ended fast with the IG and the SP offering lemon juice.

Addressing a press conference later, the IG claimed that yielding to the public pressure, the naxalites released the policemen though their demands were not conceded.

Describing it as a victory of the public and the media, he said that public opinion being in favour of the kidnapped policemen, who were never involved in anti-naxalite operations, resulted in their release. The militants realised that their demands were impracticable and that the Government was reluctant to solve them. With mounting pressure from the public, they had to set free the policemen, he maintained.

The SP thanked people, police families and the staff for extending consistent support to the kidnapped policemen in the form of rallies, processions and staging dharna and the media for publishing articles moulding public opinion against the kidnap.

The SI, Anjaneyulu, said the naxalites were kind to them during their confinement. They told them that the Government was not serious about meeting their demands for their release. The naxalites often shifted camps and made them walk blindfolded for miles together.

The ASI, Subba Rao, said the release of the home guard, Babu Rao, a couple of days ago and the polite behaviour of the naxalites created confidence in him that they would release them unscathed.

The militants, who were about 20, were in possession of modern communication equipment and weaponry.

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