Hostage crisis: State concedes to eight demands of Maoists

Even as the abducted Malkangiri district collector R Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Mohan Majhi are yet to be traced after five days of their abduction, the Orissa government has conceded to eight out of 14 demands of the Maoists to secure their early release.

It has also maintained that both Krishna as well as Majhi are safe.

Among the demands of the ultras agreed upon by the state government include suspension of combing operations by the state as well as Central forces till negotiations with the Maoist negotiators conclude and release of jailed Maoist activists.

In a related development, five hardcore Maoists, including Ganti Prasadam who has about 100 cases against him in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa, moved the Orissa high court for bail after a similar plea was rejected by a lower court.

Ganti Prasadam, who was arrested by Orissa Police and lodged in jail on sedition charges, told his lawyer Nihar Ranjan Patnaik that he was interested in joining talks with government for the release of the abducted officials. The bail plea of Ganti Prasadam, Padma, wife of top naxal leader Ramakrishna, and three others was likely to be heard on February 23.

“The talks with the Maoist mediators have progressed well. The Maoist interlocutors have raised several issues which are under the consideration of the state government”, U N Behera, principal secretary (home), Orissa government told mediapersons after emerging out of the second day of talks with the Maoist negotiators.

Among other prominent demands of the Maoist include stopping the Polavaram project to which Behera replied that the matter was sub judice with the Supreme Court of India.

Another demand pertains to land pattas for tribal land in the districts of Nabarangpur, Malkangiri and Koraput and the state government claimed to have making efforts for ensuring the same.