Maoists on April 7 released a photo of the missing CoBRA commando as evidence that he was in their custody. The jawan went missing after the April 3 ambush in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region. The picture comes a day after Maoist spokesman Vikalp released a press statement confirming the CRPF jawan Rakeshwar Singh Manhas, member of elite CoBRA force, was "captured" during the encounter and that the government must first announce names of interlocutors for his release. Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee member said the commando would remain safe in their custody as a prisoner. The picture of Manhas shows him sitting on a blue tarpaulin in a forest inside a temporary camp. The picture was released by Maoists and sent to few local reporters in Bijapur. Manhas had gone missing on April 3 soon after the skirmish took place with security personnel in Tekulguda village at the Bijapur-Sukma border. At least 22 jawans of CoBRA, district reserve guards and special task force were killed and several injured in one of the bloodiest attacks by the Maoists.
