Raipur:
The abducted Sukma collector Alex Paul Menon is safe. After meeting the Maoists on Saturday, the two interlocutors - Hyderabad-based professor G. Hargopal and former IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officer BD Sharma - said that the Maoists had also replied to the Chhattisgarh government's message on their demands for his release.
They said: "Collector Menon is safe, we will share our discussion with Maoists only with the government-mediators in Raipur."
The interlocutors said, "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.
In Raipur, the two interlocutors BD Sharma and Professor Hargopal will meet the government interlocutors Nirmala Buch and SK Mishra to discuss the demands made for the release of Mr Menon. There have already been two rounds of talks between the Maoists interlocutors and the government; both of which turned inconclusive.
Early Saturday morning, the interlocutors went upto Chintalnar to meet Maoist leaders in a chopper provided by the government. From there, they were picked on motorbikes to go further inside the village to meet the leaders.
The key demand of the Maoists is the release of eight members and nine other close aides. Also in their list of demands is a halt to the anti-Maoist offensive 'Operation Green Hunt'.and return of the security forces in Bastar to the barracks.
Mr Menon was abducted by the Maoists last Saturday from a remote village where he was attending the Gram Suraj Abhiyaan - a state government-run programme meant to promote greater coordination and connect between the villagers and administration. They also killed two of his security personnel when they resisted his abduction.