In Odisha, talks over the release of abducted Malkangiri district collector R V. Krishna and junior engineer P. M. Majhi remained inconclusive and will continue tomorrow. The talks were held in Bhubaneswar between senior state Government officials and Maoist interlocutors Prof G Haragopal and Prof R someswara Rao. A third mediator, as demanded by the Maoists, social activist and trade union leader Dandapani Mohanty has also been called to the negoiation table. Odisha Home Secretary Upendra Nath Behera and Information and Public Relations Secretary Surendra Nath Tripathy are representing the Government in the discussion.Briefing a joint press conference, Home Secretary Behera said that one round of discussion has been held in a very congenial atmosphere. He said, the Odisha Government will not carryout combing operation till the process of talks is not over and similarly Maoists will not take any action hampering the talks process. The mediators have also agreed that Maoists will not block any roads in Odisha. He said the mediators have assured the Odisha Government during the talks that Krishna and Majhi are safe and healthy.Meanwhile, the mother and younger brother of abducted junior engineer met the mediators today seeking early release of Mr. Majhi. The Maoists have made it clear that the talks can only be successful only when jailed rebels Ganti Prasadam and Sriramulu Srinivas are released. Top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda has released a fresh audio cassette today justifying the abduction of Malkangiri district collector and has demanded release of 668 people arrested by police in the name of Maoists.Senior government officials said the back-channels were working hard to get the promient rebels like Ganti Prasadam, Padma and few others as demanded by the Maoists out of prisons by Monday.Ganti Prasadam who was lodged in Ongole sub-jail of Andhra Pradesh has been shifted from the prison last night following a production and transfer warrant from a judicial magistrate in Koraput of Odisha. He has been shifted to Koraput jail today.
News On AIR | February 20, 2011 9:16 PM
Malkangiri DM’s release talks remain inconclusive