Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon walked free Thursday afternoon after 13 days in Maoist custody. The Maoists handed him over to their two mediators — social activist B.D. Sharma and Prof. Hargopal, a Hyderabad-based academic — in the media’s presence at Tadmetla forest in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district.
“I feel relaxed. I would like to thank the state government, my CM, all my seniors, mediators, friends and families for their support. I am okay”, the visibly-moved IAS officer, held hostage by the rebels since his abduction on April 21, told reporters.
When asked about his time in captivity, Mr Menon said: “I am tired. I will like to take rest and go home. I will speak you later”.
In reply to a question, he said he would “like to continue as Sukma district collector, if permitted by the government”.
His freedom came around 6.30 pm. He was taken with the two mediators to the Chintalnar CRPF base camp 11 km away in an official car. As it was dark, Mr Menon will not return to Sukma on Thursday, and will spend the night at the CRPF camp.
He will return to Sukma early Friday morning, where his pregnant wife Asha and other family members have been waiting to receive him.
Earlier Thursday morning, the two Maoist mediators flew in a helicopter from Raipur to the Chintalnar camp, via Jagdalpur in Bastar district, to get him released from his captors. From there they went by road to the Tadmetla forest road, where Maoist cadres escorted them inside the forest while asking the media people to wait there.