Two-year-old Oindrakshi may be blissfully unaware of the swap deal the state government has reportedly struck with the Maoists who abducted Atindranath Dutta, the officer-in-charge of Sankrail police station, three days ago, but she certainly seemed at sea surrounded by relatives and well-wishers who thronged her house as the news of her father’s release broke on TV channels Thursday evening.

As news of Dutta’s imminent release was first aired on TV at 2 pm, anxious relatives in the serpentine lane leading to 15/1A, Joymitra Lane at Ahiritolla in north Kolkata heaved a sigh of relief.

“I cannot express my relief. My husband is coming back home in good health and I thank the people of Bengal who supported me through this crisis. My daughter keeps on staring at the door. When I asked her what she would do once her father comes back, she said she will give him a hum (kiss) and hug him,” said Atindranath’s wife Indrani, who is currently staying at her father’s residence.

For the last three days, the mood has been sombre at the second floor of the 100-year-old building following the abduction of “barir jamai” (son-in-law) on Tuesday. The first flicker of hope for the family came on Wednesday when the state government said it was open to negotiations following Kishenji’s statement that Atindranath would be treated as a “prisoner of war” and not be harmed. Later, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee met Dutta’s family and assured it of help.

But a frisson of fear once again gripped the family on Thursday morning when security forces surrounded the area where Maoists were holding Dutta hostage, prompting Maoist leader Kishenji to say he would kill Atindranath.

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