Bihar: Intelligence branch officer kidnapped by Maoists

Patna: An Intelligence branch officer and an NGO worker were kidnapped by Maoists from Ayodhya area in Purulia district with police saying that the inspector was on leave and had gone there for some personal work.

Partha Biswas and NGO worker Samarjit Basu were kidnapped four km west of Barabhum last midnight by Maoists, Intelligence sources said.

"Biswas was not on duty and on leave when he went to Purulia for a purely personal reason," Additional Director General of Police Banibrata Basu said, adding "We have information that he runs a NGO there and went to work for it."

"I have heard about the incident and Maoists have sent feelers to the district police administration," DGP Naparajita Mukherjee said.

"We are not sure about the activities of these persons as they are not part of the district police. They came from Kolkata and I was informed by Kolkata Police," SP Rajesh Jadav said.

Maoist sources said the two were in their custody, but did not state any condition for their release.

Biswas is a resident of Naihati in North 24 Parganas district and Basu of Bandel in Hooghly district.