Release Chhattisgarh cops, families tell Maoists

The families of policemen being held hostage by Maoists in Bhopalpatnam, near the Chhattisgarh- Andhra Pradesh border, have appealed for their release without delay. 

Maoists abducted the seven policemen last Sunday, including an assistant sub inspector, a special police officer and three constables. 

The bodies of three policemen were recovered a day later from a dense forest in Bijapur District of Bastar region. Four are still missing.

The Maoists have threatened to kill the four policemen if their demands are not met within the next 48 hours.

"I request Naxals to consider me like their sister and release my husband. Even the police is not helping us," said the wife of one of the kidnapped policemen.

The police maintain that a search operation is still going on for the four policemen.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said, "We are in contact with the deputy inspector general of police, the inspector general and the superintendent of police. I had a talk with the Andhra Pradesh governor and officials as it's in the state border. The director general of police is also in contact."

Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General (Naxal Operations) Vivekanand Sinha said rescue operations are being monitored.

"We have found three bodies and four policemen are missing. According to the inputs we are getting, they are alive. Search and rescue operations are being monitored," said Sinha.