Ganti Prasadam(Left) and Padma
As talks begin between the Orissa government and mediators chosen by Maoists for the release of abducted Malkangiri Collector R Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi, the administration is also reportedly considering giving in to Naxals' demand of setting some Maoist leaders free, a key condition for the duo's release.
The prisoners that Maoists want freed are:
- Srimalu Srinivas alias Sudarshan who was a member of the banned Andhra Pradesh State Committee of CPI (Maoist) till 2003. Subsequently, he became a member of the Orissa Andhra Border Special Zonal Committee till 2006 and was in charge of the Maoist movement in Malkangiri. He is presently lodged in Malkangiri Jail.
- Ganti Prasadam who provided logistical support to the banned outfit and is currently lodged at the Ongole Jail in Andhra Pradesh. Prasadam carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head.
- Padma, wife of top Maoist leader Ramkrishna, who heads the Andhra-Orissa Border Special Zonal Committee, is a member of the Central Committee of CPI (Maoist). Padma was active in the Nallamala forest division. There are conflicting reports about how and where she was arrested and if she had quit Maoist activities. She is presently lodged at the jail in Bhubaneshwar.
- Buduni Munda alias Sobha who was a member of the Central Committee of CPI (Maoist). She was arrested in October, 2006 and is presently lodged in a Rourkela jail.
- Asutosh who was a member of the Central Military Commission of CPI (Maoist). He was arrested in March, 2009 and is now lodged in a jail in Bhubaneshwar.