Naxals abduct parents of policeman, release them a day later

Villagers played a key role in securing safe release of Lachhu Telam (64) and his wife Vijjo Telam (62), said a police official. Their son Ajay Telam is a constable with the District Reserve Guard (DRG).

Naxals abducted parents of a policeman in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh and released them on Tuesday evening, less than 24 hours later, the police said. Villagers played a key role in securing safe release of Lachhu Telam (64) and his wife Vijjo Telam (62), said a police official.

Their son Ajay Telam is a constable with the District Reserve Guard (DRG). The couple were abducted by a group of naxals from their house in Gumiyapal village under Kirandul police station limits on Monday night, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava said.

Before taking them away, the naxals assaulted the constable's sister and snatched her mobile phone, he said. "But under pressure from villagers of Gumiyapal, naxals had to release the constable's parents. Nearly the entire population of the village walked about 15 km to Bade Palli village, put forth their views before naxals and made sure that couple were released," the SP said.

Lachhu and Vijjo were released around 6.30 pm. Ajay Telam, recruited in the DRG, an anti-Naxal force of the state police, last year, was not home when the abduction took place as he stays in his units camp, Pallava said.

Naxals seemed to be frustrated after the district police last month launched `Lon Varratu' campaign, under which posters and banners about the rebels who carry cash rewards on their heads are put up in their native villages. The posters appeal the rebels to join the mainstream.

After the police recently put up posters of some naxals in Gumiyapal village, 15 to 20 ultras tried to contact the police, seeking to surrender, the senior official said. "Some naxals who did not want this to happen suspected that Ajay Telam was behind the move and therefore they targeted his family," the SP said.

Last week, naxals killed a policeman's brother-in-law in Hiroli village in the district, he said.