Orissa agrees to release 27 rebels

Bowing to Maoists demands, the Orissa government said on Wednesday it would facilitate the release of 27 persons, including eight Maoists, from jails in return for securing the freedom of an MLA and an Italian taken hostage by two separate groups of Naxals. However, this left Maoist mediators unhappy as they wanted to know about the 12 other demands and names of those to be freed. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the state assembly, a day ahead of the deadline of April 5 fixed by the kidnappers of 37-year-old Laxmipur MLA Jhina Hikaka who was taken away on March 24. "Consi dering the safety of Hikaka, it has been decided to facilitate the release of 15 members of Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha and eight Left Wing Extremists,” the chief minister said.