Isaiah said that the police received a distress call at about 12:30 p.m. that “unrepentant bandits with AK47 rifles kidnapped some girls working in a farm at Mata-Mulki Village.”

He said that the Operation Puff Adder team, led by Divisional Police Officer in charge of Batsari, swiftly moved to the area.

“The team gave the hoodlums a hot chase into the forest and engaged them in a gun duel.

“The bandits abandoned the victims and ran into the forest, the police successfully rescued the six girls,” Isaiah said.