Orissa: Maoist released abducted Collector and Engineer

Malkangiri: The maoist which had abducted the District Magistrate R Vineel Krishna and junior engineer, Pabitra Manjhi has said to have released them on the Tuesday night, according to the district police.

They are on their way to Malkangiri, sources said. The two were earlier shifted out of the location where they were held hostage.

The release came after three days of negotiations when the Orissa government accepted eight of the 14 demands of the Maoists. However, their main demand – the release of eight Maoists – is yet to be resolved.

12 Maoists including hardcore rebel leader Sriramalu Srinivasalu were granted bail today as talks for safe return of abducted Malkangiri district collector and an engineer appeared to reach a decisive stage after another top Naxal Ganti Prasadam joined the negotiation process.

Srinivasalu got bail along with 11 others from a fast track court in Malkangiri. The Maoists had demanded release of Sriramlu, Ganti Prasadam, Padma and several others for freeing district collector R V Krishna, a 2005 batch IAS officer, and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi. They were abducted on Wednesday last.