Police have shot dead  two suspected criminals behind the abduction of a Patna schoolboy in an encounter during the search operation to recover him. Nirmalendu, the schoolboy, however, is still missing eight days after his abduction.

Police officials said two notorious criminals were killed on Tuesday in an encounter at Sipara near Patna.

The 15-year-old Nirmalendu, a class IX student of Don Bosco Academy, was abducted near his house in Phulwarisharief locality on his way to school last week.

His father, O P Diwakar, a veterinary doctor, has threatened the police with self-immolation if they do not find his son soon. Diwakar said his traumatised family has been undergoing sleepless nights.

To date, the police have only made promises that they have not kept up. To protest against this, students of Nirmalendu's school will wear black badges on Wednesday. Other schools have also held prayer meetings for his safe and quick release.

There has also been support garnered from an unexpected quarter. Washermen in Patna have threatened to stop washing politicians' and policement's clothes unless Nirmalendu is traced. This was announced by the Patna District Washermen's Committe.

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