Hostage crisis: Odisha govt surrenders, to release 8 Maoists

The Maoists finally had their way in Odisha. The government after holding out for more than a fortnight, gave in to them by agreeing to release 23 prisoners, including eight Maoists. The latter have held hostage Italian national Boscusco Paolo since 14 March and have been demanding the release of several radical Left ultras in jails of the state exchange for his freedom. Another group of Maoists have abducted an MLA and kept him hostage for over a fortnight. [caption id=“attachment_266671” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Tense negotiations. Image courtesy PIB”] [/caption] The Maoists had also kidnapped another Italian, Clandio Colangilo, along with Paolo but he was released within a few days of the kidnapping since he was not keeping well. The ultras had also kidnapped the MLA from Laxmipur, Jhina Hikaka. “My government today decided to facilitate the release eight Left wing extremists, 15 members of Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh for freeing MLA Jhina Hikaka,” Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in a statement in the assembly. Earlier, the Maoists, through an audio message, had set a deadline till Thursday for the government to set free their comrades. They had refused any negotiation unless their demand was met. Patnaik said the government had made efforts for the release of the two hostages held by two separate groups of Maoists and its repeated appeals to free the hostages were rejected. The hostages were still in Maoists’ captivity as the abductors did not want negotiations, he said. The names of the prisoners to be released are likely to be announced on Thursday. Hikaka was kidnapped just as the government was negotiating the release of the Italians. It gave rise to the impression that the kidnappings were a result of the factional fight within the Maoists. Sabyasachi Panda, a top leader sidelined by the Maoist leadership, is believed to have engineered the first kidnapping while the other one was the likely handiwork of the Andhra Odisha Border Zonal Committee operating in Koraput and areas bordering Andhra Pradesh. Chief Minister Patnaik had appealed to Hikaka’s abductors to extend the 5 April deadline. He had also invited Nachika Linga, the undisputed leader of the Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh, a radical tribal outfit, to discuss the issue. However, it was turned down. On Tuesday, Hikaka had sent a letter to the chief minister requesting him to fulfill the demands of the Maoists. He had alleged that the government was not serious about his release. The government apparently failed to negotiate with either of the groups.