Maoists behead kidnapped cop in Jharkhand

The Jharkhand Police on Tuesday said they had found the decapitated body of kidnapped police inspector Francis Enduwar. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Jharkhand Range) R K Malik, said that Enduwar's headless body was found at around 9.15 am on the Jamshedpur-Ranchi highway with a note from the Naxals saying that they could expect more of the same treatment if their demands were not acceded to.

They claimed full responsibility for the killing of Enduwar. DIG Malik said that Enduwar, who was kidnapped by the Maoists five days ago, appeared to have been executed by a method popularly associated with the Taliban.

He confirmed that the Maoists had been demanding the release of two of their prominent leaders Kobad Ghandy and Chatrodhar Mahato, who have been arrested by law enforcement authorities in Delhi and West Bengal respectively.

He said that the Maoists had offered to handover three of their cadre in exchange for the release of Enduwar. Enduwar''s execution was carried out after the government refused to release Ghandy.

Meanwhile, Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday made it clear that there was no demand from Naxals for any swap of prisoners for the policeman whose body with severed head was found this morning in Jharkhand.

Terming the act as "cold blooded" murder, Chidambaram said, "If the Naxals have any demand they should place their demand. But cold blooded murder is simply not acceptable. I condemn it."

"The (Jharkhand) director general of police has told me that there was no demand for a swap of prisoners. Besides, we are governed by the rule of law and prisoners are under the custody of court. We cannot swap prisoners with those who are outside the purview of law, who take the law in their hands," he said.