The Naxals on Thursday released abducted Sukma District Collector Alex Paul Menon, ending the 12-day long hostage crisis. The state government has, however, said that an official confirmation in this regard will be given only after the IAS officer reaches Sukma.
Earlier on Thursday, negotiators B D Sharma and G Hargopal had left the state capital and reached Chintalnaar, from where they moved to the jungles inside Tadhmetla.
The mediators are likely to escort the IAS officer to Raipur for a medical check-up.
Chhattisgarh: Naxals release Sukma Collector Alex Paul Menon
The end to the hostage crisis has come after four rounds of talks between the Raman Singh government and Maoist-appointed mediators.
According to sources, the government agreed to form a committee to review cases against Maoists in exchange for the collector’s release.
Naxals had on Tuesday night told the BBC that they would release the IAS officer on May 3.
Menon had been in the custody of the Naxals since April 21.
Sources say that as per the agreement, no jailed Naxal cadres will be released but the government will constitute a high-powered committee to review cases of some prisoners in jail including the cases demanded by the Naxals.
The Committee, which will have Chief Secretary and state DGP as members, is supposed to become operational “within an hour” of the release of Menon, according to the agreement.
The agreement, which was quickly approved by a Cabinet sub-committee headed by the Chief Minister, said the matter which was of utmost concern to the mediators was the well-being of Menon. Raman Singh had said that negotiations could continue even after the release of the Collector.