Reds extend deadline on MLA's release

                                                                         
KORAPUT: Chances of abducted Laxmipur MLA Jhina Hikaka moving out of Maoist clutches showed signs of improvement on Sunday as his kidnappers made a climbdown, dropping top guerilla Chenda Bhusanam alias Ghasi from their list of prisoners who they want freed in exchange.
In the Maoist's latest letter released to the media, a representative of the rebels' Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) said Hikaka's wife Kaushalya, rebels' lawyer Nihar Patnaik and 29 prisoners they want released must reach Balipeta in Koraput's Narayanpatna block by 5 pm on April 18 so that the 37-year-old legislator could be released.
AOBSZC leader Jagabandhu, in the letter, said Ghasi's name has been removed from the list of the 30 prisoners whose release they had earlier sought. The letter, written in Telugu, also warned against any police or intelligence officer reaching Balipeta for the proposed release. Earlier, the abductors had set April 10 deadline for Kaushalya and some others to reach Balipeta along with 30 jailed people to take back Hikaka, who was kidnapped on March 23 night. The Odisha Police Association had warned the government against letting off Ghasi, booked in over 40 cases in Andhra and Odisha and accused of killing at least 55 cops. Ghasi, who carries Rs 10 lakh as reward money in Andhra, was arrested in April, 2011, from Koraput.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik said he was aware of the Maoists' new offer. "I will be in touch from Delhi about matters relating to the release of our young tribal MLA. I appeal to the Maoists to release our MLA immediately and unhurt," he said before embarking on a trip to the national capital to attend a meeting on internal security. Naveen on Friday visited Hikaka's family in Laxmipur.
Reacting to the guerrillas' demand that 29 prisoners reach Balipeta on April 18, home secretary U N Behera said of the 29 incarcerated people the government had since April 5 agreed to facilitate release of 25 (17 CMAS activists including Suka Nachika and Chakra Tadingi who were offered in exchange for Italian Bosusco Paolo besides eight Maoists). "It is necessary that bail petitions of those people be filed immediately so that their release can be facilitated," he said, hoping some bail pleas would be moved by Tuesday.
from times of india