Orissa collector abduction: Naxals extend deadline

Responding to the appeal of Orissa government and others, suspected Maoist abductors of Malkangiri district collector R V Krishna on Friday extended the deadline fixed by them for fulfillment of their demands.

A senior member of Andhra-Orissa Border Zonal Committee of Maoists informed a section of media in Bhubaneswar about their decision of extending the deadline.

"Secretary of AOBZC Bhaskar has suggested to People's Liberation Guerrilla Army to extend the deadline as the state government has agreed to have talks on the just and democratic demands of the party," Maoist ideologue V V Rao told PTI over phone.

"I cannot say for how long, but I am sure that they have extended the deadline," he said, adding that everything would now depend on the outcome of the negotiations.

"Though we have not received any formal communication from the abductors, mediators informed the state government that since the process of negotiation with Maoists has started the deadline set by them is deemed to have been extended," Home Secretary U N Behera told PTI.

Hopeful of release of Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi, a senior official said the mediators were likely to arrive here tomorrow to hold talks with the state government.

Apart from the state government, two mediators, V V Rao, Swami Agnivesh, family members of the abducted IAS officer and junior engineer and many other civil societies besides the people from different walks of life had appealed to the Maoists to extend the deadline.

Krishna and Majhi were abducted from Malkangiri district on Wednesday evening by Maoists who then set a 48-hour deadline for fulfillment of their demands of halting the combing operations and release of tribal rebels lodged currently in jail.