Ranchi: Jharkhand police on Saturday denied media reports that 13 villagers, mostly children, had been abducted by Maoist guerrillas to be inducted into their squads.
Some media reports on Saturday said that villagers from Jhaldera tola of Buddha Pahad in Garwah district were abducted by Maoists in October.
The abducted children, including two girls, were to be inducted in the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist squad.
The state police along with the Central Reserve Police Force has launched a massive operation against Maoist guerrillas in Buddha Pahad area.
The police suspect that top Maoist leaders — Sudhakaran and Arvindji — are staying in the area. Buddha Pahad is on the Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand border.
Police said the villagers have not yet reported any abduction.
“We have no information of abduction. Neither our intelligence reports nor police have confirmed the abduction.
“There is no complaint from the villagers. The police will verify the names published in the media,” R.K. Mallik, Additional Director General of Police, told journalists.
He said: “Some 120 people live in the area. Sometimes they come in contact with Maoists. The villagers live in low-lying areas and the Maoists on the higher grounds.
“Regular interaction between villagers and Maoists is common.”
