How a journalist played an important role in liberating the jawan from the captivity of Naxalites in Chhattisgarh, Read Inside Story

The Maoists, who were held hostage after an encounter with security forces in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh, were released by the Naxalites on Friday after almost 100 hours. A local journalist from Bijapur played an important role in the release of this jawan. The journalist's role was also praised by the IG of Bastar himself. Please tell that in this encounter that took place on April 2, 22 soldiers were martyred. Journalist Ganesh Mishra himself has told how he got the jawan released and what he had to do for it.

Ganesh Mishra, a member of the team of journalists who went to the Naxalites at the time of the jawan's release, said that after the encounter, the media reported the disappearance of Cobra commando Rakeshwar Singh Manhas. After this, the Maoists contacted me on 5 April and told me that the missing jawan is with them as a hostage and said that they would be released only through government negotiators.

This is how the conversation started

Ganesh Mishra further states that after talking to Naxalites, he immediately informed IG Bastar. After receiving information that went to higher officials in Raipur, the two-member delegation was later tasked with mediating the Padma Shri awardee Dharmapal Saini and Gondwana Samaj leader Telam Boraiya. Ganesh Mishra said that contact with the Maoists was re-established on 6 April and they were briefed about the members of the delegation. When the Maoists agreed, he asked some journalists with the delegation to come to the same place the next day where the encounter took place and 22 soldiers were martyred.

Then left for Basaguda on 7 April

Ganesh further states that the next day on April 7, I left Mukesh Chandrakar, Ranjan Das, Chetan Kapewar, K Shankar, and Yukesh Chandrakar and reached Basaguda Camp by noon. After reaching there, I asked the SP to send the appointed arbitrators, then the IG said that it would take time as Dharmapal Saini was in Jagdalpur at that time. Ganesh further said that I told the IG that the intermediaries would have to reach the Terram police station by the morning of 8 April. After spending the night in Basaguda itself, he left for the site of the encounter after taking the intermediaries from the Terram police station at around 5 am on the morning of 8 April.

Villagers continue to meet on the way

Ganesh Mishra further stated that both teams of journalists and mediators arrived at the encounter site riding on motorcycles, which is about 20 km from the Terram police station. After this, some locals asked him to go ahead. Both teams were on motorcycles and reached the encounter site which is about 20 km from Terram Police Station. After reaching there, he was asked by the local people to go further.

Reached Tamail at 9 am

On the way, he reached Jonaguda but found nothing there too. After this, some other villagers told them to go 3-4 km further. Going forward, we reached Tamail village, adjacent to Sukma district. Ganesh Mishra told that by 9 a.m. they had reached Tamail, where the locals met him and asked him to go about 2 kilometers further. After reaching there, we met the Maoists for the first time.

Earlier villagers were gathering

Another journalist of the team, Mukesh Chandrakar, said that after reaching Tamail village, a group of Maoists riding on motorcycles took us to the place where the meeting was to be held. On reaching the spot, I saw that the villagers were already gathering there. By the time the far-flung villagers gathered, it was already 2 p.m.

What did you say in the conversation?

The two intermediaries, Telam Boraiya and Dharmapal Saini, were then taken to a chupdi, about a kilometer away. At the same time, the secretary of the designated area committee, whose name was Manila, met. Mishra said that after reaching the hut, Manila told about the incident and said that he had found a young man in a state of unconsciousness, after which he took him to the forest. He told that the jawan has also suffered minor injuries.

Mediators left for the camp at 5.30 pm

After this, Jawan Rakeshwar Singh was brought to the villagers' assembly and directed that the jawan be handed over to journalists and mediators and it would be his responsibility to take it back home here. Mishra said that at 5.30 pm both the teams of jawans and journalists left for the Terram camp and in about an hour we also reached. After reaching the camp, IG Bastar also praised the role of journalists in the release of the jawan. IG said that journalists Ganesh Mishra and Mukesh Chandrakar played a key role in Jawan's release.