In Odisha, Maoists have threatened extreme action if their demand to set free all the 29 prisoners is not met by Wednesday. They are holding BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka as hostage from 24th of March. In a new audio message, Commander of Andhra Odisha Border Zonal Committee of CPI (Maoist) named Aruna said that the state government must clear its stand by 5 this evening before the media and clearly state the names of prisoners being freed.
The state government had, earlier, said that it is ready to release 25 prisoners, 17 from CPI (Maoist)'s frontal organisation Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha and eight others on bail.