Two Police Officials Releases, One Remains in Hostage

(Tbilisi, November 20, Civil Georgia) – Hostage-taker freed Rustavi police chief Niko Japaridze and deputy chief and Dato Mchedlishvili, Rustavi police deputy chief.

Aleko Bukia, chief of the regional police department remains in car, where the hostage-taker Davit Papashvili threatens to explode a hand-grenade.

After the release Niko Japaridze told the Rustavi 2 TV channel that in the morning the police intended to arrest Davit Papashvili, which carried handgun and hand-grenade.

“Papashvili tried to escape and took a woman in hostage. After the talks with him [Papashvili] he agreed to release woman and take us [police officials] in hostage instead of woman. Before the talks criminal suspect opened fire and wounded a person, which has nothing in common with the case,” Niko Japaridze said.

Unofficial reports say the kidnapper demands ransom. Niko Japaridze denied reports that the police gave ransom to the hostage-taker.

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