Orissa begins backdoor talks with Maoists for collector’s release
February 18th, 2011 - 11:18 am ICT by IANS
Bhubaneswar, Feb 18 (IANS) After halting anti-Maoist operations, Orissa has began back channel discussions with the rebels as the 48-hour deadline given by them for the release of an Orissa district collector and an engineer they had abducted Wednesday neared, officials said Friday.The rebels took Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer R. Veenel Krishna, the district collector of Malkangiri, along with junior engineer Pabitra Mohan Majhi hostage from the Chitrakonda area in the district Wednesday evening.
The ultras had set conditions for their release that included, halting of anti-Maoist operations in the area and the release of all Maoists arrested in the past.
State Home Secretary U.N. Behera said that he had spoken to social activist Swami Agnivesh and some backdoor dialogue was on.
“I have discussed with him and he agreed to mediate. He has already spoken to some of the front line leaders of the Maoist group,” Behera told IANS on telephonic, adding that discussion has to be concretised.
Regarding the media reports that a Maoist group in Andhra Pradesh has given three names for the negotiation with the abductors, Behera said the government so far has not received any formal response from them.
“We are still hoping to get some direct contact,” he said.
The 30-year-old collector, widely seen as a down-to-earth official, was going to inspect development projects without any guards after attending a meeting in Badapada village early Wednesday when half a dozen armed Maoists surprised him and his aides.
According to Additional District Magistrate S.L. Seal, in no time more than 50 Maoists joined the group and took the collector and junior engineer hostage.
The abduction happened two days before Home Minister P. Chidambaram had scheduled a video conference with the district magistrates of 60 districts affected by the Maoist violence.
Krishna joined the IAS in August 2005 after he graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. He moved to Malkangiri district around 16 months ago. Engineer Majhi, from Bhubaneswar, had gone to the district four months back.
- Orissa collector still hostage, Maoists snap road links (Lead) - Feb 18, 2011
- Maoists abduct collector, Orissa agrees to talks (Intro Roundup) - Feb 17, 2011
- Orissa agrees to talks with Maoists for official's release - Feb 17, 2011
- Orissa stops anti-Maoist operations after official's abduction (Fourth Lead) - Feb 17, 2011
- Backdoor talks on, Orissa urges Maoists to extend deadline (Second Lead) - Feb 18, 2011
- Maoists abduct collector, Orissa halts operations (Roundup) - Feb 17, 2011
- Maoists set conditions for Orissa collector's release (Third Lead) - Feb 17, 2011
- Malkangiri Collector kidnapping: Talks on with Maoists - Feb 18, 2011
- Hundreds hold rally seeking Orissa collector's release - Feb 17, 2011
- Backdoor talks on, Maoists urged to extend deadline (Roundup) - Feb 18, 2011
- Maoists have assured safety of abducted officials: Orissa Home Secretary - Feb 20, 2011
- Orissa-mediators' talks end, to resume Monday - Feb 20, 2011
- Maoists abduct district collector in Orissa (Second Lead) - Feb 17, 2011
- Maoists release Malkangiri Collector Krishna - Feb 24, 2011
- Mediators seek more time for abducted collector's release - Feb 20, 2011
Tags: behera, channel discussions, district magistrate, district magistrates, formal response, home minister, home secretary, hour deadline, indian administrative service, junior engineer, line leaders, majhi, maoist, maoist group, maoists, orissa, p chidambaram, swami agnivesh, three names, video conference