Collector Menon is safe: BD Sharma

     Sukma, Raipur, April 29, 2012: Maoists interlocutors Dr Brahma Dev Sharma and Prof G Haragopal today said abducted Sukma District Collector Alex V F Paul Menon V was safe but his release would take some more time.

     After spending a day and a night with the Maoists, both Sharma and Haragopal today returned back to Raipur with the message of the Maoists, but when asked by media, both of them refused to divulge any thing.

     Both the Maoist interlocutors went yesterday to Chintalnar in a helicopter, provided by the state government to discuss various issues with the rebel leaders inside the forest regarding the release of Menon.

     “Release of the Collector will take more time,” Sharma told ChhattisgarhTopNews.Com after returning back to Raipur.

     The interlocutors also said the talks between them and the Government interlocutors Nirmala Buch and Suyogya Kumar Misra would continue.

      However, when asked about the reaction of the Maoists about the current talk, Haragopal refused to talk on the issue.

     To a question, they said they have not met the Collector in the forest. However, Menon was fine, they said after coming out from the forest.

     It was stated that Sharma and Haragopal had briefed the Maoist leaders about the discussion they had with the state government interlocutors and also about the stand of the Raman Singh government on the demand forwarded by the Maoists a day after the Collector was kidnapped on April 21 from Majhipara.

     Armed Maoists had come up to the border of the forest to see off both the interlocutors.

     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.