New Delhi: The fate of Collector Alex Paul Menon hangs in balance. The government has appealed to the Maoists for an extension of their deadline. One of the handpicked interlocutors - BD Sharma - will be reaching Bastar on Thursday to begin talks with the Maoist.
The Maoists have demanded the release of eight jailed leaders, including two women. The Maoist also want a halt to Operation Greenhunt and removal of security forces from the Bastar region.
Menon was abducted from Sukma on Saturday. Menon's health has been a worry and medicines have been provided.
"Southern Bastar unit of CPI (Maoist) sent me some papers on April 24. I have now received a call from Raipur also to mediate. I will be going to Chhattisgarh and then to Bastar tomorrow," said BD Sharma in New Delhi on Wednesday.
He added that the press release from the Maoists expressed concern about the health of Menon, who is an astham patient, and the April 25 deadline set for accepting the demands of the rebels for the release of the IAS officer would be extended automatically.
N Baijendra Kumar, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Raman Singh, said the Government was keen on starting negotiations with the Maoists at the earliest so that the Collector is released safely.
Tribal Welfare Minister Kedar Kashyap, who is a member of the sub-committee, said necessary medicines have been dispatched to Menon, who is an asthma patient, through Manish Kunjam, President of Rashtriya Adivasi Mahasabha.
Comments
0 comment