Three Jharkhand policemen kidnapped by 'Pathalgarhi' supporters rescued

Pic Courtesy: ANI

KHUNTI: Three Jharkhand policemen, who were allegedly kidnapped by Pathalgarhi supporters from Khunti district on June 26, have been rescued, said reports on Friday.

According to reports, the three cops - Vinod Kerketta, Sion Surin and Subodh Kujur - who were missing since they were abducted from BJP MP Karia Munda's residence at Anigada-Chandihdih in the Khunti district, were taken to the Saiko Police Station Friday morning.

They were received by senior police officials. However, their weapons could not be recovered. 

Additional Director General of Police RK Malik had earlier said that the supporters of 'Pathalgarhi' barged into the house of the Lok Sabha MP at Anigada-Chandidih and took away the three policemen and their weapons in the afternoon.

The MP was not present at the house during the incident.

The Khunti administration had on Thursday announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for those giving information about the whereabouts of three policemen.

''We are continuing with the search operation,'' Aswini Kumar Sinha, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Khunti district, said. 

He said Rs 50,000 would be given to those who inform the police about the whereabouts of constables, adding that the details of the informers would be kept secret.

Pathalgarhi is reportedly a practice in which villagers inscribe various tenets on huge stone slabs and ban outsiders in the area. 

Earlier on Tuesday, the police had taken action against some Pathalgarhi leaders in Khunti district by attaching their properties.

The police had to fired tear gas shells and use batons to disperse a mob obstructing their search operation to rescue the three policemen.