Will continue good work in Malkangiri, says released Collector

Bhubaneswar, Feb 25 (ANI): Malkangiri Collector R Vineel Krishna, who was released by the Maoists after nine days, said that he will continue to do the good work in the area.

"I have been doing the work and would like to continue bringing development to the people," Krishna told reporters.

Krishna further said that the Maoists looked after his well being and dignity during the eight days in captivity. They had made it clear that they will not harm me."

"I am absolutely fine. There were no health problems," he said.

Sharing the experience of being a hostage, Krishna said that the Maoists themselves were tensed about the whole incident.

"We didn't have many discussions because they themselves were quite tensed about the whole incident. There were discussions, quite general in nature and not politically demanding," he added.

Krishna also revealed that the Maoists changed their position thrice during the hostage crisis.

Earlier, expressing happiness over the release of Krishna, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has said the state government did not bow down but made some commitments.

"The state government did not bow... But certain commitments have been made," he said.

The 30-year-old IAS officer was released by the Maoists in an area called Duliamba in the forests in Chitrakonda District last night.

After extensive negotiations between the government and the captors, Krishna was meant to be released on Tuesday night along with junior engineer, Pabitra Majhi, who too had been kidnapped from Malkangiri on February 16.

The abductors had put forward new demands for the release of Krishna, which were conveyed in a letter sent through Pabitra Majhi, who returned home on Wednesday evening after being released by the Maoists near the Ambadoli village of Chitrakonda District.

Three mediators appointed to interface with the Maoists had earlier been told that Krishna would also be released on Wednesday. But in the letter, the Maoists said they wanted their leaders to be handed over to them in Malkangiri.

The Maoists demanded the release of Ganti Prasadam, who has been granted bail by Orissa High Court. He was arrested in November and charged with sedition. Prasadam's release was at the top of the Maoists' agenda.

The Maoists also wanted Padma, wife of a top rebel leader, to be released. These demands come in addition to other demands that had earlier been put before the Orissa Government.

The Maoists had earlier sent a note through a junior engineer accompanying Krishna demanding immediate halt to Operation Green Hunt and release of jailed Maoists. (ANI)