Posts Tagged ‘Raipur’
Written by admin on 29 April 2012
Raipur, April 29 (IANS) Maoists interlocutors and the Chhattisgarh government-appointed mediators ended their meeting here Sunday night here but failed to find way out to ensure release of Sukma collector Alex Paul Menon who was abducted by guerillas at gun point April 21, an official said.
In a nearly four-hour long meet, the rebels’ interlocutors – professor G. Hargopal and former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer B.D. Sharma discussed point by point the demands raised by Maoists with the two government-nominated former bureaucrats, Nirmala Buch and S.K Mishra, former chief secretaries of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh respectively.
But official sources said that the mediators found it extremely tough to reach any consensus on the rebels’ demands and decided to hold another meeting Monday morning.
The government mediators and Maoists interlocutors had refused to share any information with the waiting media after they came out from the meeting Sunday night at the state guest house but government sources said that a deadlock has emerged and the mediators will try to address the issue Monday.
Earlier of the day, the Maoist interlocutors – Hyderabad-based Hargopal and Delhi-based Sharma – who had gone to meet the rebels Saturday with a message from the Chhattisgarh government emerged from the rebels-commanded area Sunday morning with the Maoists’ reply.
However, the interlocutors refused to give any details of the reply to the local media in Chintalnar area of Sukma district, and only said that the collector was safe.
“We had a detailed talk with top Maoists leaders during our overnight stay in the jungle and briefed them about the talk we had with government mediators in Raipur regarding the two demands for Menon’s release,” they told the reporters from the electronic media in the violence-hit Sukma district, some 500 km south from here.
“Collector Menon is safe, we will share our discussion with Maoists only with the government-mediators in Raipur,” they said.
Official sources said the Chhattisgarh government, which is desperate to ensure the safe release of Menon, has positively responded to the Maoists’ two demands – release of 17 jailed ultras and a halt to the anti-Maoist drive, Operation Green Hunt.
Menon, 32, was abducted at gunpoint April 21 by rebels from a forested location in Sukma. The Maoists shot dead his two guards who resisted his abduction.
Tags: Raipur
Posted in National | No Comments »
Written by admin on 29 April 2012
Raipur, April 29 (IANS) Abducted Sukma collector Alex Paul Menon is safe, two interlocutors who met Maoists in their jungle hideout said Sunday, adding the rebels had replied to the Chhattisgarh government’s message on their demands for his release.
The two interlocutors – Hyderabad-based professor G. Hargopal and former IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officer B.D. Sharma – had gone to meet the rebels Saturday with a message from the Chhattisgarh government and emerged from the rebels-commanded area Sunday morning with a reply from the Maoists.
The mediators told a few electronic mediapersons in state’s violence-hit Sukma district, some 500 km south from here, “We had a detailed talk with top Maoists leaders during our overnight stay in the jungle and briefed them about the talk we had with government mediators in Raipur regarding the two demands for Menon’s release.”
However, the interlocutors refused to give any details of the Maoists’ reply to the local media in Chintalnar area of Sukma district.
They said: “Collector Menon is safe, we will share our discussion with Maoists only with the government-mediators in Raipur.”
Hargopal and Sharma visited the Maoist hideout after holding several rounds of closed-door marathon meetings with two government mediators – Nirmala Buch, former Madhya Pradesh chief secretary, and S.K. Mishra, former chief secretary of Chhattisgarh – at Raipur’s state guest house.
Official sources said the Chhattisgarh government, which is desperate to ensure the safe release of Menon, has positively responded to the Maoists’ two demands – release of 17 jailed ultras and a halt to the anti-Maoist drive, Operation Green Hunt.
“We are highly optimistic about the early and safe release of the young IAS officer,” a senior official at police headquarters here told IANS.
Menon, 32, was abducted at gunpoint April 21 by rebels from a forested location in Sukma district, some 500 km south of here. The Maoists shot dead his two guards who resisted his abduction.
Tags: Raipur
Posted in National | No Comments »
Written by admin on 28 April 2012
Raipur, April 28 (IANS) Armed Maoists received both of their interlocutors, bearing the Chhattisgarh government’s response to their demands for release of abducted Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon, in a jungle pocket in violence-hit Bastar region Saturday afternoon, raising hopes of the official’s safe and early release.
The interlocutors — Hyderabad-based Professor G. Hargopal and former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer B.D. Sharma — reached Bastar by a chopper arranged by the state government.
The video footage aired by a local electronic channel showed that Hargopal and Sharma travelled several kilometres as pillion riders on motorcycles from Chintalnar to Tarmetla where the armed guerrillas shook hands with them on camera.
The two journalists of the news channel who carried the interlocutors as pillion riders were thoroughly checked by armed Maoists who vanished in jungles with Hargopal and Sharma to know what the Chhattisgarh government has decided about their two demands.
Before going off into the jungle with the Maoists at Tarmetla, the site where rebels massacred 76 government troops in April 2010, Hargopal told a news channel accompanying him that he came into the jungle with the well wishes of the tribals and the “sole purpose” of the collector’s release.
Top government officials said the Maoists’ interlocutors are likely to return from the rebels’ hideouts either late Saturday evening or by Sunday.
The move for Menon’s release was set in motion exactly a week after the Maoists abducted the 32-year-old, 2006 batch IAS officer from a forested location in Sukma district, some 500 km south from here, while he was interacting with tribals. The Maoists shot dead his two guards before taking him away at gunpoint.
Earlier Saturday morning, the Maoists’ interlocutors left for the Maoist-commanded area from capital Raipur after having at least three rounds of marathon meetings since Thursday with the Chhattisgarh government-appointed mediators — Nirmala Buch, a former Madhya Pradesh chief secretary, and S.K. Mishra, a former Chhattisgarh chief secretary.
“The Maoists’ interlocutors are carrying a clear-cut message from the Chhattisgarh government about the guerillas’ two demands — release of 17 jailed Maoists and halt to anti-Maoist offensive ‘Operation Green Hunt’ — and we are strongly hopeful of a very positive response from the Maoists in a day or two,” a senior official at the police headquarters here told IANS.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh had Saturday said that the “safe and early release of Menon is top priority”.
“I will do the best to get back the young IAS officer from Maoists’ clutches,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, Maoist militants had justified abduction of Menon and asked the state government to make its stand clear on their demands if it wants his safe release.
An e-mail sent to some media outlets by Maoist commander Ganesh Uike, who is a terror icon in certain forested parts in the troubled Bastar region, said the district collector was part of the system that had harassed several innocent persons, including Soni Sori, a lady teacher, who is in jail since October on charges of acting as a Maoist conduit.
Tags: Raipur
Posted in National | No Comments »
Written by admin on 28 April 2012
Raipur, April 28 (IANS) Exactly a week after Maoists abducted Sukma District Collector Alex Paul Menon at gun point, two interlocutors named by them Saturday flew in to Bastar to brief the rebels about the government’s response to their demands set for safe release of the young officer, an official here said.
“A government chopper with the interlocutors — Hyderabad-based Professor G. Hargopal and former IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officer B.D. Sharma — on board left for Bastar in the morning, where they are all likely to visit Maoists’ hideouts and brief them about the government response to their demands,” a top official here said.
The two interlocutors left for the Maoist-commanded area after at least three rounds of marathon meetings since Thursday with the Chhattisgarh government-appointed mediators — Nirmala Buch, a former Madhya Pradesh chief secretary, and S.K. Mishra, a former Chhattisgarh chief secretary.
“The Maoists’ interlocutors are carrying a clear-cut message from the Chhattisgarh government about the guerillas’ two demands — release of 17 jailed Maoists and halt to anti-Maoist offensive ‘Operation Green Hunt’ — and we are strongly hopeful of a very positive response from Maoists in a day or two,” a senior official at police headquarters here told IANS.
Menon, 32, a 2006 batch IAS officer, was abducted April 21 by rebels from a forested location in Sukma district, some 500 km south from here, while he was interacting with tribals. The Maoists shot dead his two guards before marching him away at gunpoint.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh Saturday had said: “Safe and early release of Menon is top priority. I will do the best to get back the young IAS officer from Maoists’ clutches.”
Meanwhile, Maoist militants Friday justified abduction of Menon and asked the state government to make its stand clear on their demands if it wants his safe release.
In an e-mail sent to some media outlets by Maoist commander Ganesh Uike, who is a terror icon in certain forested parts in the troubled Bastar region, said the district collector was part of the system that had harassed several innocent persons, including Soni Sori, a lady teacher, who is in jail since October on charges of acting as a Maoist conduit.
Tags: Raipur
Posted in National | No Comments »
Written by admin on 27 April 2012
Raipur, April 27 (IANS) Interlocutors for the Maoists and the mediators appointed by Chhattisgarh government held talks for over five hours Friday to find a way for safe release of Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon, even as the rebels increased their demands, now seeking release of 17 of their jailed colleagues as against the original eight.
The rebels also Friday sought to justify the collector’s abduction, saying he was part of the same system that harassed innocent persons such as teacher Soni Sori.
Reports say that now both Maoist interlocutors, Hyderabad-based Professor G. Hargopal and former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer B.D. Sharma — who had served as district collector of Bastar as well, will head towards rebel-commanded Tarmetla area in Sukma district, where Maoists had massacred 76 security personnel in April 2010, the biggest ever attack carried out by the rebels till date.
Top official sources said the Chhattisgarh government would arrange special aircraft to carry Hargopal and Sharma to Tarmetla where they would probably brief Maoists about the two-day discussion — Thursday and Friday — they had with the Chhattisgarh government representatives — Nirmala Buch, a former Madhya Pradesh chief secretary, and S.K. Mishra, a former state chief secretary.
The source added that government mediators have made the state government’s stand clear on the rebels’ two demands — release of 17 jailed Maoists and halt of anti-Maoist offensive ‘Operation Green Hunt’.
“Now all depends on Maoists how they respond to our stand on their two demands. The safe release of abducted district collector Alex Paul Menon is our top priority now,” Chief Minister Raman Singh told media persons here.
Meanwhile, Maoists, who had on April 22 — a day after the collector’s kidnapping — sent an anonymous taped message to media outlets in the state demanding release of eight of their key jailed leaders — Marakam Gopannam, Nirmal Akka, Devpal Chandra Shekher Reddy, Shanti Priya Reddy, Meena Chowdhary, Korasa Sunny, Markan Sunny and Asit Kumar Sen, Friday morning said they now want 17 jailed rebels to be released.
The Maoists also asked the state government to make its stand clear on their demands if it wants safe release of the young IAS officer.
In an e-mail sent to some media outlets by Maoist commander Ganesh Uike, who is a terror in certain forested parts in state’s troubled Bastar region, justified Menon’s abduction and said the district collector was part of the system that has harassed several innocent persons included Soni Sori.
Sori, a 35-year-old government school teacher, is in jail since October last year after police arrested her on charges of acting as Maoist conduit.
Meanwhile, official sources said that the 17 Maoists whom the leftist insurgents have sought release in exchange of abducted district collector, are presently put in jails at Raipur, Jagdalpur and Dantewada towns.
Tags: Raipur
Posted in National | No Comments »
Written by admin on 27 April 2012
Raipur, April 27 (IANS) Interlocutors for the Maoists and the mediators appointed by Chhattisgarh government held talks for over five hours Friday to find a way for safe release of Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon, even as the rebels increased their demand, now seeking release of 17 of their jailed colleagues as against the original eight.
Reports say that now both Maoist interlocutors, Hyderabad-based Professor G. Hargopal and former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer B.D. Sharma — who had served as district collector of Bastar as well, will head towards rebels-commanded Tarmetla area in Sukma district, where Maoists had massacred 76 security personnel in April 2010, the biggest ever attack carried out by the rebels till date.
Top official sources said the Chhattisgarh government would arrange special aircraft to carry Hargopal and Sharma to Tarmetla where they would probably brief Maoists about the two-day discussion — Thursday and Friday — they had with the Chhattisgarh government representatives — Nirmala Buch, a former Madhya Pradesh chief secretary, and S.K. Mishra, a former state chief secretary.
The source added that government mediators have made the state government’s stand clear on the rebels’ two demands — release of 17 jailed Maoists and halt of anti-Maoist offensive ‘Operation Green Hunt’.
“Now all depends on Maoists how they respond to our stand on their two demands. The safe release of abducted district collector Alex Paul Menon is our top priority now,” Chief Minister Raman Singh told media persons here.
Meanwhile, Maoists, who had on April 22 — a day after the collector’s kidnapping — sent an anonymous taped message to media outlets in the state demanding release of eight of their key jailed leaders — Marakam Gopannam, Nirmal Akka, Devpal Chandra Shekher Reddy, Shanti Priya Reddy, Meena Chowdhary, Korasa Sunny, Markan Sunny and Asit Kumar Sen, Friday morning said they now want 17 jailed rebels to be released.
Tags: Raipur
Posted in National | No Comments »
