The Orissa Legislative Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution appealing the Maoists to release the two Italian citizens held hostages by them since March 14.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, while moving the resolution in the Assembly, urged rebels to free the hostages — Basusco Paolo and Claudio Colangelo — immediately, saying the entire country eagerly awaited to see that two “foreign guests” were released safely.
In a significant development in the hostage crisis, noted tribal rights activist and retired administrator B.D. Sharma, arrived here from New Delhi in the afternoon.
Mr Sharma along with the Maoist sympathiser Dandapani Mohanty held preliminary talks with the senior designated state government officials at the state guest house.
Soon after the discussion, Mr Sharma told reporters that they were apprised of the situation by officials and further talks would take place on Friday.
Dandapani Mohanty said he hoped rebels would release one of the two hostages if the state government accepted at least two of their 13 demands.
“I hope the rebels would rThe two demands include legal action against police officials who killed three tribal activists such as Lalit Dehury, Junhu Badaraita and Katnu Huika in fake encounters; and release of Naxal sympathisers lodged in various jails in the state.
The interlocutors said they had information that both the hostages were safe.