Orissa begins talks to free officials

Agencies

Bhuvaneshvar, 21  2011: Intensifying its efforts to secure the release of Malkangiri Collector R. Vineel Krishna and Junior Engineer Pabitra Majhi from Maoists, the Orissa government held the first round of talks with three mediators here on Sunday.

 

Mr. Krishna and Mr. Majhi were abducted on Wednesday.

 

Home Secretary U.N. Behera told journalists that Panchayati Raj Secretary S.N. Tripathy held talks with mediators Someswar Rao, G. Hargopal and Dandapani Mohanty.

 

Mr. Behera said it was agreed that there shall not be any anti-Maoist combing operation in the entire State till the discussions were complete. It was also agreed that Maoists would not cause any harm to Mr. Krishna and Mr. Majhi.

 

Furthermore, there shall not be any road blockade by Maoists. The discussions, held in two sessions, spanned more than seven hours.

 

The talks started after Professor Rao and Professor Hargopal arrived from Hyderabad earlier in the day. Mr. Mohanty joined them in the afternoon. He came from Berhampur.