IAS officer's abduction: Naxals refuse to join back-channel talks

Time is running out for abducted Orissa collector R.V. Krishnaand junior engineer Pabitra Majhi as the Naxals have refused to join the back-channel talks till one of their chosen interlocutors is not included.

The Naxals sent a letter to the Malkangiri district administration seeking inclusion of one of their sympathisers, Dandapani Mohanty, in the talks. Dandapani heads a banned outfit 'Daman Pratirodh Manch', a frontal organization of Maoists.

After the 48-hour deadline of the Maoists expired on Friday evening, the guerillas extended it by another 24 hours. The new deadline ends at 6 pm on Saturday evening. Krishna had been abducted along with Majhi by the Maoists on Wednesday evening from Chitrakonda area of Malkangiri.

Meanwhile, the two mediators handpicked by the Naxals to negotiate the release of Krishna and Majhi were set to hold discussions with the Orissa government on Saturday on the demands made by the Maoists.

"Prof Someswar Rao and Prof Hargopal (both from Andhra Pradesh) will reach here today ... then we will start discussions on the demands made by the Maoists," Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in a statement in the state assembly in Bhubaneswar.

Noting that the Maoists have extended the deadline for fulfilment of their demands, the chief minister said the government has requested the Naxals not to harm the duo.

The state government has already stopped anti-Naxal combing operations across the state paving the way for negotiations, he said. 

IAS association seeks public support for collector's releaseVoicing concern over the abduction Krishna by Maoists, Orissa IAS officers Association on Friday urged the state government, civil societies and public to take all possible steps for safe and early release of the young officer.

The association in an urgent meeting in Bhubaneswar expressed concern over the incident. A four-member delegation, led by association secretary U.P. Singh, met chief secretary B.K. Patanik and home secretary U.N. Behera.

While lauding the pro-poor activities of Krishna, the association pointed out how the developmental works had progressed in Maoist hotbed of Malkangiri.

The association also praised Krishna's works during Kandhamal violence.