Bhubaneswar, April 7 
The Odisha Government today agreed to release five of the six rebels the Maoists have demanded in return for Italian hostage Paolo Bosusco. Another Naxal group holding MLA Jhina Hikaka extended the deadline to April 10 and demanded that five more persons be freed.

"The Maoists have sought the release of six persons. The state government has decided to facilitate the release of five of the six," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in a statement in the state Assembly.

Mounting pressure on the state government, Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda had yesterday threatened to take the "extreme step" against 54-year-old Italian hostage Paolo Bosusco if his demands were not met within 96 hours.

Terming as "incorrect" that views of BD Sharma and Dandapani Mohanty, negotiating the release of the Italian, were not taken into consideration, Patnaik said the two had categorically stated that the rebels wanted the release of six persons -- Arati Majhi, Manohan Pradhan, Suka Nachika, Chakra Tadingi, Bijay Tadingi and Subhashree Das.

"I appeal again to the Odisha State Organising Committee of CPI (Maoist) headed by Panda to release the Italian national unharmed and immediately," Patnaik said. He also appealed for the immediate release of Hikaka, the tribal BJD MLA from Laxmipur.

Rejecting the Odisha Government’s offer to release 23 prisoners, the Maoist group holding Hikaka captive extended the deadline for fulfillment of their demands till April 10 and sought the release of an additional five persons.

A senior leader of Maoist Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee told the media over telephone that the MLA was safe and the deadline that was to end today was extended to April 10.

Besides the 23 prisoners, the Maoist group demanded release of five more persons — one rebel and four members of the Maoist-backed Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha — who were in jail in Koraput.

Meanwhile, the state government and the Maoist mediators held fresh talks on the demands to be met for the release of Bosusco. "Considerable progress has been made during talks. We will hold more discussion and the process is likely to conclude soon," Home Secretary UN Behera, who led the three-member government side, told reporters after the meeting. 

Sources said both sides were believed to have discussed names of prisoners to be freed. Panda's insistence on a written agreement on fulfillment of demands was also understood to have figured at the meeting.

The hostage issue figured in the state assembly with members of the Opposition Congress voicing concern about the fate of Hikaka and Bosusco. Congress member Dambarudhar Ulaka said a feeling of insecurity had gripped legislators from Maoist-hit areas. — PTI