JAMMU: Hundreds of residents including family members of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commando Rakeshwar Singh Manhas, who is in Maoists’ captivity in Chhattisgarh, blocked a road in Jammu demanding his release. 35-year old Manhas, who hails from Jammu, was among the security personnel that were ambushed by the Maoists during a combing operation on Saturday, leaving 22 personnel dead and 31 others injured.
“It’s been four days since my husband was abducted by the Maoists, but the government was doing nothing to ensure his release from captivity,” said Meenu, wife of Manhas, a member of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action, popularly known as the CoBRA force of the CRPF, specialising in counter-insurgency operations.
His father in law said, “For this day did we vote for this government? None has come to our rescue. He is our son in law and we want him back. How insensitive can the government be? It’s been four days since he was abducted by the Naxals on Saturday, but no one in the administration has bothered to reach out to us with an assurance”.
“His mother sent him to serve the nation. We are poor people, we don’t have to do anything with politics but if the government could bring back wing commander Abhinandan Varthaman from Pakistan, then why have they been dragging their feet in getting our boy released from the captivity of Maoists,” he asked.
The protestors in Jammu held tricolours and staged a sit-in at the main town chowk while shouting slogans against the BJP-led Central government and also against Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha.
No one from the administration was present there to meet the protesters till the filing of this report. (Agency)
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