Bhubaneshwar: Abducted district collector of Malkangiri R.V. Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Manjhi will be released in 48 hours, a Maoist-chosen mediator said today after the Orissa government gave in to the remaining demands of the ultras.
"Both the Malkangiri Collector and the junior engineer will be freed and back within 48 hours," Prof G Hargopal, one of the three Maoist-chosen interlocutors, told reporters on conclusion of three-day talks with the state government.
The six-day hostage crisis is resolved, state Home secretary U.N. Behera said as he noted the government has agreed to follow due process of law to withdraw cases against five Maoists, including Ganti Prasadam and Padma, wife of top Naxal leader Ramakrishna.
The government also agreed that no coercive action will be taken by the security forces as long as the Maoists not indulge into unlawful activities, he said.
On the demand for release of Naxals like central committee member of CPI (Maoist) Asutosh Sen, Sriramulu Srinivasulu, Gananath Patra and Jiban Bose, the Home Secretary said the matter would be examined on merit.
While eight demands of Maoists had been settled yesterday, remaining six were agreed to during today's talks, he said, adding that now the path is clear for release of Malkangiri collector R.V. Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi, who were abducted from Chitrakonda area of Malkangiri district on February 16.