New Delhi: With the deadline set by Naxals for the Odisha government to free 30 jailed comrades for securing the release of BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka ending on Tuesday, the Naveen Patnaik administration is in a fix over how to resolve the hostage crisis.
According to reports, Odisha government had earlier agreed to free over 27 jailed Naxals in return for the MLA and Italian tourist Paolo Boscusco, who is being held captive by another Naxal faction in Kandhamal.
However, the state police and the security forces engaged in anti-Naxal offensive have strongly opposed the government’s decision to fulfill the demands of the Maoists.
They have even threatened to boycott all anti-Naxal operations if hardcore Maoists are freed by the state government in a bid to end the twin hostage crisis.
Adding to the woes of the government, the Odisha Police Association (OPA) yesterday warned it will skip duties in Naxal affected areas while making it clear it will oppose "tooth and nail" any move to set free hardcore Maoists like Chenda Bhusanam alias Ghasi, an accused in the killing of at least 55 security personnel.
After the abductors of MLA Jhina Hikaka and Italian Bosusco placed new demands on Sunday, the state government had sought opinion of the police on the release of hardcore Maoists, including Bhusanam, as sought by the abductors.
In view of the strong opposition from the security forces, the state government is now weighing various options on any release of the ultras.
The state government is yet to decide on the condition given by the Maoists that the wife of the 37-year-old MLA should reach a village in Koraput district today along with 30 freed prisoners for release of Hikaka.
In a letter to the media last night, Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee of Maoists not only sought immediate release of more prisoners, but also their physical presence for the MLA's release.
The ultras wanted Hikaka's wife Kaushalya to reach Balipeta in the Naxal-hit Narayanpatna area tomorrow along with 30 rebels, including 23 people whose release the Odisha government had decided to facilitate and seven more rebels.
The letter said the MLA's wife should also be accompanied by two Naxal-nominated mediators -- BD Sharma and Dandapani Mohanty -- engaged in the Italian hostage crisis and Koraput-based lawyer Nihar Ranjan Patnaik.
The Maoists said they would hand over the abducted MLA to them, provided they do not bring along any police or intelligence official.
The letter came a day after the Maoists extended the deadline for fulfilment of their demands till April 10. They had initially fixed April 5 as deadline and then extended it till April 7.
As the twin-hostage crises turned murkier, Opposition Congress and BJP hit out at the BJD government accusing it of failing to resolve the issue. of five more persons.
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