Under pressure from the Maoists who have taken hostage three policemen, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday evening said that the state government will give safe passage to Maoists who come for talks.
After chairing a two-hour long all party meeting on the crisis, Nitish Kumar said that it was decided that that Bihar government will begin dialogue with the Maoists on their demand for releasing their eight jailed commanders in exchange of release of three abducted policemen.
Kumar said all the parties have appealed to the Maoists to release the three policemen held hostage.
The Maoists had kidnapped sub-inspectors Rupesh Kumar and Abhay Yadav, Bihar Military Police havildar Ehtesham Khan and assistant sub-inspector Lucas Tete after the encounter on Sunday. Tete's bullet-riddled body was found on Friday after expiry of the deadline set by the ultras for swapping them with eight Maoists.
Self-proclaimed Maoist spokesman Avinash had on Thursday claimed that the rebels have killed Yadav. But state police officials are yet to confirm it.
Yadav's family members and villagers from Shahpur Kamal in Begusarai district blocked the national highway near Begusarai town for the second consecutive day on Saturday to build pressure on the state government.
The state top police officials are in constant touch with their counterparts in Jharkhand to assist in the combing operations and seal the escape routes of Maoists.
Official sources said the Centre has dispatched more than 200 additional security personnel and two choppers to Lakhisarai to assist in the anti-Naxal campaign launched in the extremist controlled pockets along the Bihar-Jharkhand border.
Six units of Cheetah attached to Special Task Force and additional Cobra personnel too were assisting the police in the operation.
With inputs from PTI
