Jamshedpur:
It's been over 72 hours since her husband was kidnapped by Maoists, but for Julie Layak, time stands still.
She knows there's little she can do. The rebels want their jailed comrades freed before they release the Block Development Officer - the first senior administrative officer kidnapped in 2 years.
This comes barely months after Francis Induwar, a police inspector was kidnapped and beheaded by Maoists.
The worried state government is now trying to strike a conciliatory note.
"We are willing to reinvestigate cases, if naxals feel villagers are being wrongly accused in false cases, but as far as the other demands go, I request the naxals to come out into the open and talk, and not do things like this," said J B Tubid, Home Secretary, Jharkhand.
Adding to the government's worries are other government officers in East Singhbhum who met today and threatened to go on an indefinite strike if their colleague wasn't rescued.
"We are giving the government time till the 17th to rescue the kidnapped BDO, else we will go on indefinite strike, because there is an atmosphere of insecurity," said Sitaram Bari, government official, Jamshedpur.
And who knows it better than the Julie Layak, who just wants her husband freed.