The Maoists on Sunday demanded the release of eight jailed comrades, an end to Operation Green Hunt and withdrawal of paramilitary forces for the release of abducted Sukma collector Alex Paul Menon, and set the Chhatisgarh government a April 25 deadline.
In a six-minute audiotape released to the media, Vijay, identifying himself as the Maoists’ South Bastar divisional committee secretary, said Mr Menon was safe and in their custody. “The collector’s fate will be decided in the jan adalat (people’s court) if the demands are not fulfilled by April 25”, the tape said.
Those whose release was demanded are Markam Goppanna alias Satyam Reddy, Shanti Priya Reddy, Meena Choudhury, Nirmalakka alias Vijaya Laxmi, Asit Kumar Sen, Karsa Sanni, Markam Sanni and Debapal Chandrasekhar Reddy. All are in different jails in Dantewada and Raipur.
Additional DGP (Naxal operations) Ram Niwas said the police had vital clues on the collector’s abduction at Majhipara village, but did not elaborate.
Swami Agnivesh has said he is willing to mediate between the Naxals and the government to secure the release of the 32-year-old 2006-batch IAS officer. Mr Menon’s wife Asha urged the Maoists to free her husband, an asthma patient, who had “just two doses of medication” with him.