MOSCOW -- A police officer held hostage in Chechnya for the past month returned to his home in southern Russia on Wednesday after his colleagues and family helped free him, Itar-Tass reported.


Police Sergeant Mavledin Gasanov had been kidnapped from the Russian republic of Dagestan in early July and held in captivity in neighboring Chechnya, the news agency said.


His colleagues were able to establish his whereabouts, and his family secured his release, the agency said.