Bhubaneswar, April 11: Arrested Maoists lodged in a jail in Orissa Monday went on hunger strike to protest the non-fulfilment of promises the state government had made to them during an abduction crisis in February.
The inmates, led by senior rebel leader Sriramulu Srinivas, have launched the strike in the sub-jail at Malkangiri, about 618 kms from Bhubaneswar.
The jail has over 200 inmates, including several Maoists, and all have not taken food since the morning, district superintendent of police Aniruddha Singh told IANS, adding they want the government to fulfill all their 14 demands.
The rebels had abducted Malkangiri District Collector R. Vineel Krishna and junior engineer P.M.Majhi in February when they were inspecting some developmental work in an isolated area of the district.
The two officials were released about a week later after hectic negotiations and when the government agreed to all the 14 conditions of the Maoists, including a halt to anti-Maoist operations in the state and release of several Maoists leaders.
The Left-wing ultras had also demanded the release of over 700 tribals languishing in different jails on the charge of their alleged link with the rebels.
-Agencies