Maoists yet to free BDO, family waits anxiously

Maoists have not yet released Dalbhumgarh block development officer even after 24 hours have passed since Jharkhand chief Minister Shibu Soren accepted their key demand to free arrested villagers.

"There is no further development. Not trace as yet," East Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner, Ravindra Agarwal, said in Jamshedpur on Prashant Kumar Layak's whereabouts.

The BDO was abducted on Saturday.

Expressing disappoint, Layek's brother-in-law Manish Anand said, "His wife is unwell. We are all waiting anxiously for his release. Maoists have not responded after CM's statement."

During the day a large number of villagers gathered near Guda police picket in East Singhbhum district and shouted slogans demanding release of the BDO immediately, the police said.

Legal process was initiated to free some of the jailed persons who Maoists claimed to be "innocent", Soren had said on Wednesday night.

"So, I appeal to the Maoists to set free our officer unharmed at the earliest," Soren said in his brief statement, which came after Maoists demanded a statement from chief minister on Wednesday.