Kidnapped Malkangiri Collector R. Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi were released by the Maoists Tuesday evening in the Chitrakonda hilly area in the Orissa-Andhra Pradesh border following the Orissa Government’s acceptance of their demands. Krishna hails from Vijayawada town in AP.
According to reports, official teams left for the area to pick them up and drop them home. Krishna and the engineer would reach their homes this evening.
Government’s decision came after the Hyderabad based mediators held discussions with the government representatives on behalf of the Maoists. The mediators met the jailed Maoist leader Ganti Prasadam in the Bhavaneswar jail and held discussions with him before meeting the officials.
As a result of the discussions with the mediators, the government has agreed to withdraw the cases against Prasadam and four others, Kandula Sirisha alias Padma and wife of top Maoist leader K. Rama Krishna, Andaluri Iswari, Mandangi Rosa and driver Gokul Kuldipia.
The government has also agreed to review the cases of others on merit with in three months. As the officials held a media conference and announced the acceptance of their demands, the news came that Krishna and the engineer were released.
