Click to play videoWest Midnapore: On Thursday night, police officer Atindranath Dutta was released by the Maoists in Bengal, two days after they kidnapped him.
On Friday afternoon, fourteen tribal women arrested on charges for assisting the Maoists were also set free by the Bengal police.
The state government had kept their part of the bargain and the government did not oppose the bail petition of these 14 women in court,
However, the deal between the Bengal government and the Maoists have raised several questions:
- Maoists released the kidnapped police officer just 5 kilometres away from a police station.
- After his release, the officer was not even debriefed by the police, which is usually the standard operating procedure. He was allowed to give interviews to journalists and go straight back home.
- Is there a single policy to deal with the Naxalites in the country, or is there none?
Armed Maoists who escorted Atindranath Datta to his release in presence of the media, used the occasion to present their condition for any talks with the government.
It put Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, who has been advocating a tough line against the Naxalites, in a spot.
P Chidambaram said, “The Bengal government is the government of the state. They are competent to take this decision and I don't have to advise on that decision”.
After his release, this kidnapped police officer asked the government to negotiate with the Maoists; however, it remains to be seen whether the government will or will they not or will they leave it to different state governments to tackle the Naxalites differently.
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