Sukma collector likely to be freed by Maoists today

The 12-day long hostage crisis in Chhattisgarh is expected to end on Thursday as the Naxals have said they will be releasing Sukma District collector Alex Paul Menon before the public in Tadhmetla.

Negotiators B D Sharma and G Hargopal on 3rd may  morning left the state capital for Chintalnaar, from where they are slated to move to the jungles inside Tadhmetla.

The mediators are then likely to escort the IAS officer to Raipur for a medical check-up.
The breakthrough in the hostage crisis is likely 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 has 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, shall 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.