M A I N   N E W S

Hostage crisis: Odisha to free 27 prisoners

Bhubaneswar, April 4
Bowing to Maoists’ demands, the Odisha Government today said it would release 27 persons — including eight Maoists — from jail in return for securing the freedom of an MLA and an Italian taken hostage by two Naxal groups.

Maoist mediators were unhappy, as they wanted to know about the 12 other demands and names of those to be freed. The government said it would name all those to be released tomorrow.

The announcement was made by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the Assembly, a day ahead of the April 5 deadline fixed by kidnappers of Laxmipur MLA Jhina Hikaka (37), who was taken away on March 24. The government will facilitate the release of 15 members of Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha and also eight Left Wing extremists in jails in Koraput and Malkangiri, the CM said.

Considering the demands of the Odisha State Organising Committee of CPI (Maoists) for Italian national Paolo Bosusco abducted in Kandhamal district on March 14, it was decided to facilitate the release of four persons from the list given by the Maoist mediators, Patnaik said. — PTI