4 abducted policemen rescued in Jharkhand

Four policemen, who were abducted on June 26 from BJP MP Karia Munda's residence in Khunti district of Jharkhand, were today rescued from a place in the same district, a senior police officer said.

Deputy Inspector General of Police A V Homkar said that four policemen were rescued from Diling Bara area in Khunti district this morning.

"All of them are safe," he said.

Earlier police had given the number of abducted policemen as three.

The constables who were deployed at the house of the BJP leader at Anigada-Chandihdih village were abducted by supporters of Pathalgarhi on June 26.

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

The police had said that 'Pathalgarhi' supporters had taken out a procession on that day and barged into Munda's house and took away the policemen. They had also snatched their weapons.

Munda was not in the house when the incident took place.

The Khunti district administration had yesterday announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for those giving information about the whereabouts of the abducted policemen.

The police on Tuesday had taken action against some 'Pathalgarhi' leaders in the district by attaching their properties.

On Wednesday, the police had fired tear gas shells and used batons to disperse a mob obstructing their search operation to rescue the abducted policemen.