After 12 days in captivity, Sukma Collector Alex Paul Menon was released unharmed by Maoists on Thursday bringing to an end the hostage crisis in Chattisgarh marked by some anxious moments just before he stepped out of the rebel stronghold.

The 32-year-old 2006-batch IAS officer, abducted on April 21 at Sukma, about 450 km from here, while touring a village was handed over to the two Maoist mediators B D Sharma and Prof G Hargopal, at Tadmetla in the evening and brought by road to the CRPF base camp at Chintalnar, a 30-minute drive by road.

Menon, who is an asthmatic and for whom medicines had to be rushed last week, in his first comments after being freed thanked Chattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, the state authorities, the mediators from the Government and the Maoist side, his family and friends, saying but for their cooperation his release would have been delayed.

"I am ok," Menon said when asked how his health was and when pressed further said, "I am tired, shattered. I would like to go home."

Menon, whose wife is in the family way and is at Sukma where he is posted, about 150 km from Chintalnar, said he will speak to newsmen later.

When asked whether he will like to continue to hold his post in Sukma, Menon said, " I will work wherever government will ask me. If they want me to remain here(in Sukma), I will do so."

The IAS officer said he will proceed to Sukma only tomorrow after taking rest at the CRPF camp. He also telephoned the Chief Minister at 6.55 pm and thanked the state government for its "sincere effort" in securing his release.

Confusion prevailed over Menon's release in the afternoon after the local media reported that he was set free but there was no official confirmation.

It was only after about a three-hour anxious wait did Menon appear in public and produced before the local media.

Ram Niwas, ADGP(anti-Naxal operations), said the IAS officer is fine but he will receive necessary medical checkup

In Chennai, a greatly releived Menon's father A Varadhas profusely thanked Chattisgarh authorities for the efforts they took leading to the "happy occasion".

N Baijendra Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, said the state government immediately issued orders to form a review committee under an agreement to do so within an hour after the release of the Collector.

The agreement that was reached by the two mediators each of the Chattisgarh government and the Maoists at their fourth round of talks on April 30 paved the way for the release of the IAS officer.

Under the agreement, the government had agreed to set up a high-powered committee under the chairmanship of Nirmala Buch, one of the two Government mediators, to review the cases of all prisoners languishing in Chattisgarh jails including the cases demanded by the Maoists.

Chief Minister Raman Singh said the three-member committee, which also included the Chief Secretary and the DGP, will be meeting right away.

The Maoists' mediators reached Chintalnar village in Sukma district by a helicopter earlier in the day and then proceeded by road to secure Menon's release from a rebel-dominated forested area.

Menon had a brief press interaction at Chintalnar where the media camped the whole day awaiting his release and he again thanked authorities.

The Collector said he would like to meet his family members before speaking about the kidnap episode.

Suspense mounted over Menon's release after a chopper that was used to ferry the mediators to the Naxals this morning returned to Chintlanar this evening but flew back within minutes. The chopper landed again but took to the skies quickly fuelling speculation whether he was being still kept hostage since it was to take the Collector.

After the local media at Tadmetla reported that the Collector was released, there was no sign of the IAS officer who was to have been brought to Chintlanar, a 30-minute drive, for over three hours.

After the initial reports, Menon's father said the family is relieved that the trauma is finally over only to go through some anxious moments briefly. Crackers were burst and sweets also distributed at their Chennai residence even before the official emerged out in full public view.

P K Venugopal, the collector's father-in-law, said his daughter will be very happy. "She had low blood pressure yesterday and since news of Menon's release, she has been feeling better," he added.

A visibly relieved Asha said she was skeptical about her husband's health condition. "His health was our biggest concern. So, we were happy to see him on television after his release," she said.

"More than the Maoist concern, my husband has a service-oriented attitude which made him go beyond all challenges to serve the people here in Sukma...it was expected that in one year Sukma will have a new look," she said.

Asha said she was sure that Menon would want to continue working in Sukma. "However, it will be Government's decision in this regard," she said.

The Chief Minister said the committee will examine the issue of delay in cases of under-trials lodged in different jails in Chhattisgarh.

Asked about the bail plea filed by jailed woman Naxal Meena Chaudhary, who was among those whose release was demanded by the rebels for freeing Menon, Singh asserted that no assurance has been given other than the agreement reached with Maoists.

The CM said we should not forget two of Menon's security guards who were shot dead by the Naxals before abducting the IAS officer.

"Efforts of everybody has paid off (in resolving the hostage crisis). We are moving along the path of peace and hope there will be peace initiative at the national level also," Singh said.

Menon will spend night at the CRPF base camp in Chintalnar and he will be brought to Sukma tomorrow morning under adequate security, he said.