Mounting efforts to secure the release of Malkangiri collector R Vineel Krishna from the Maoists, the Orissa government flew in two mediators to the district to negotiate with the insurgents.
Professor G Haragopal and Dandapani Mohnaty, both Maoist-chosen mediators, were brought bey a helicopter to the district, after Maoists reneged on releasing Vineel Krishna on Wednesday even after Orissa assured them that it will meet eight of their 14 demands. In fact, a fresh set of demands was issued by the Maoist the same evening asking for unconditional release of five jailed Maoist top-guns in exchange for Krishna.
The mediators had expressed shock and had appealed to the Maoists not derail negotiations with the government. They had asked the ultras to release Krishna by six in the evening on Thursday. However, Krishna was still being held hostage by the Maoists as of Thursday evening.
Related story:
Maoists renege on collector's release, make fresh demands
Maoists on Wednesday made a fresh demand for quick release of five key Maoists to publicly free Malkangiri district collector R V Krishna and involvement of rights activist Swami Agnivesh in the process, prompting the mediators to appeal for his freedom by tomorrow.
While Maoist leader Ganti Prasadam was today granted bail by the Orissa High Court, Maoists demanded that five others including Sriramulu Srinivasulu and Padma, wife of a top rebel, be also freed from jail, official sources said.
The condition laid by the abductors was conveyed to Malkangiri district administration in a letter sent through the released junior engineer Pabitra Majhi, who had been abducted along with the collector on February 16, they said.
The abductors also expressed their intention to free the collector in public in the presence of three Maoist-chosen mediators who held talks with Orissa government, Swami Agnivesh and project director of District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Malkangiri after the release of top Maoists named by them, sources said.
Expressing shock over the new demand, Ganti Prasadam, mediator G Hargopal and Maoist ideologue Varavara Rao made a joint appeal to the ultras to release the district collector within 24 hours, by tomorrow evening.
Hargopal said Orissa government has agreed to release Srinivasalu, who has already got bail in a case, but he has to be sent to Andhra Pradesh as there are cases against him in that state and the issue is beyond Orissa government purview.
Regarding Ganti Prasadam, Padma and others, Orissa government has agreed to withdraw cases against them, he said.
On Agnivesh, the mediator said it would not be possible to involve him at this stage.
About release of tribals of Malkangiri and Koraput districts, the matter would be taken up within 15 days "and we will pursue it," Hargopal said.
"We are happy that the junior engineer has been released but any additional condition will complicate the issue as yesterday we had already made commitment of release of both the hostages in 48 hours," Hargopal said.
"We had given assurance to Orissa government after consulting Ganti Prasadam, Varavara Rao and Srinivasulu," he said
"We as mediators are surprised. We did not expect additional demand will come up. We appeal to them (abductors) to free the collector in 24 hours, that is 6 pm tomorrow evening," Hargopal said.
He said their appeal was being aired in English and Telugu as Maoists listen to radio regularly.
"This appeal may have to be taken by the party very seriously because we have promised Orissa government and you (Maoists) had earlier said that nobody need to come to the spot," Hargopal said.
Seven days after being abducted by the Maoists, junior engineer Pabitra Majhi was freed in a remote area of Malkangiri district today even as there was no clear information on the whereabouts of District Collector R V Krishna.
"Majhi was taken to Chitrakonda by two local people on a motor-cycle after being released by the Maoists in a remote forest area," Chitrakonda Tehsildar D Gopal Krishna said on phone, adding he appeared to be fine.
However, there was no clear information on the whereabouts of Collector Krishna, who was also kidnapped along with Majhi on February 16, he said. Government sources said the 2005 batch IAS officer is expected to return soon.
Soon after his arrival at Chitrakonda, the junior engineer was taken to the Tehsil office where government officers met him, official sources said.
"The engineer was fine though he seemed to be tired.
Doctors were examining him," the sources said.
A huge crowd gathered at the Tehsil office to have a glimpse of the freed engineer. Majhi was later shifted to a guest house of Balimela Dam Project, the sources said.
"The mediators on behalf of the Maoists gave a firm commitment yesterday on the safe return of Krishna and Majhi within the next 48 hours, that is latest by tomorrow," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in the Assembly.
The development came as the Orissa Government conceded all 14 demand of the Maoists following three days of intense negotiations between Naxal-appointed mediators.
Related Story (February 23)
Orissa makes distress deal with Maoists, awaits officials' release
A Maoist-chosen mediator on Tuesday announced that the release of Malkangiri collector Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi could be expected in the next 48 hours.
Professor G Haragopal, the mediator, said that the officials (kidnapped on February 16) will be released "in th next 48 hours", thereby setting a Thursday deadline for their return.
The announcement came after media reports of release prompted a burst of pre-emptive celebrations on Tuesday night in the Orissa district.
Hundreds of people had gathered at Krishna's official residence in Malkangiri town. But senior officials in the state government confirmed on Wednesday morning that the two officials had not arrived at any known location yet.
The imminent release is being said to have been negotiated as swap deal, with the state government agreeing to eight of the 14 demands made by the insurgents including the release of key Maoist figures jailed in Orissa.
