Collector fine: Manish Kunjam

     Sukma/Raipur, April 26, 2012: Former CPI MLA Manish Kunjam today said Sukma Collector Alex V F Paul Menon V, who has been kidnapped by Maoists on April 21, was fine.

      After handing over medicines of Collector Menon to the Maoists at Tadmetla area, Kunjam today returned back to Sukma and also met Asha, wife of the Collector.

     “The Collector is safe and in good health condition,” Kunjam told reporters at Sukma.

    However, replying to a question he said he could not meet the Collector and handed over the medicines of the IAS officer to the Maoists and he had information Menon was fine.

     Looking into the health condition of Menon, the government had decided to take the help of Kunjam, Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh had said on April 24.

     Secretary of the Bastar Divisional Committee of the CPI (Maoists) Vijay Madkam in a mail to BBC Raipur had appealed to the wife of the Collector Asha Menon, his relatives and friends and IAS officers association to send medicines stating that the health condition of the Collector was “critical”.

     Kunjam, who refused to become a Maoists interlocutor to release the Sukma Collector, said on the request of the State Government he took medicines for Menon and handed over that to the Maoists yesterday.

     When the 2006-batch IAS officer was on a tour of the Majhipara area in Sukma District on April 21 during Gram Suraj Abhiyan, he was confronted by the Maoists guerrilla and after exchange of fire, the civil servant was kidnapped by Maoists after killing both his body guards.