Envoy takes medicines for abducted Collector

Former Konta District MLA Manish Kunjam who initially refused to mediate between the Naxals and the Chhattisgarh government has volunteered to travel to the interiors of the jungle with medicine for Alex Paul Menon, the collector of Sukma District who was abducted on Sunday.

The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh confirmed the latest development saying, “Manish Kunjam has left for Bastar with medical supplies for the abducted Sukma District Collector”.

The Chhhattisgarh government also announced that it had appointed two mediators to negotiate with the Naxals on its behalf. Former IAS officials, SK Mishra and Nirmala Bose, who served as Chief Secretaries in Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh have been appointed, it said.

Kunjam was named by the Naxals as one of the mediators to negotiate Menon’s release. In the same statement the Naxals demanded medicine for the collector who they said was in “critical condition”, warning the government that it would have to take responsibility for any consequences arising from a delay in getting medicine across.

The collector’s wife, Asha Menon yesterday issued an appeal to the Maoists to release her husband, as he was an asthmatic and needed medicine. However it is unclear on as to what Menon was suffering from after he was abducted.

Menon was abducted at gunpoint from a forested location on Saturday, when he was interacting with tribals.

The Maoists killed his two guards when they resisted his abduction. The Maoists have demanded a freeze on Operation Green Hunt as well as the release of eight jailed comrades in exchange for Menon.

In response, the state government has virtually halted all operations against Naxals in the state, and put together a five-member committee with a view to getting him back. They also convened an All Party meet to decide on what needed to be done next.

The Maoists had asked for three mediators, including Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan. However, Bhushan and Kunjam have refused to mediate in the case with the lawyer saying the IAS official should not be used as a bargaining chip.