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Maoists in Bihar have extended deadline till 10am Thursday for the release of eight jailed Maoist commanders in exchange for release of four Bihar policemen kidnapped after Sunday's encounter with Maoists in Lakhisarai district.
After the 4pm deadline ended on Wednesday, Avinash, a self-proclaimed Maoist spokesman, announced they decided to extend deadline till Thursday morning.
Bihar DGP Neelmani told rediff.com that police was ready to initiate dialogue with Maoists on their demand and deadline.
"Maoists should approach the police, not the media for proper dialogues," Neelmani said.
He said that a massive search operation was on for the four policemen kidnapped.
Sources said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was also monitoring the operations with the Central Recruitment Police Force using a helicopter to search the hilly area for the policemen.
Meanwhile, the Bihar government transferred Lakhisarai Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar Singh and Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramadhar Singh in the wake of the Maoist killing of seven policemen in Sital Korasi hills in the district.
The new SP and DSP have been asked to take charge on Wednesday itself, officials said.
Ranjit Mishra, the city SP of Darbhanga, would replace Ashok Kumar Singh as new SP of Lakhisarai and Deputy Superintendent of Police (Railways) Rajbansh Singh would replace Lakhisarai DSP Ramadhar Singh.
Outgoing SP Singh would be commandant of BMP-four in Patna, they added.