Two Maoist mediators — former bureaucrat B.D. Sharma and Hyderabad-based academician Prof. Hargopal — are scheduled to reach Tadmetla in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Thursday to get the abducted Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon released from his Naxal captors.
“We are proceeding to Tadmetla on Thursday to receive the abducted IAS officer from his captors. But, we are yet to be informed by the Naxals when and exactly at which place they will hand over Mr Menon to us,” Mr Sharma told reporters here on Wednesday.
Mr Sharma said they would first reach Tadmetla and from there proceed to the place as per instructions by the Maoists to receive the collector.
Maoists, in a late night message sent to a section of the Chhattisgarh media on Tuesday, have announced to release Mr Menon on Thursday.
Chief minister Raman Singh said the Naxal nominated mediators were currently in discussion with the rebels to facilitate the release of the district collector.
He said his government would make all arrangements including provision of a chopper to fly the two mediators to the appointed place to receive Mr Menon from his Maoist captors, if required.
Describing the development as 'very significant', he hoped that it would lay the foundation stone for initiating peace talks with Naxals.