Govt-Maoist talk fails

     Raipur, April 26, 2012: The first ever talk between the Chhattisgarh government and Maoist interlocutors today failed to yield expected result on the issue of Sukma Collector Alex V F Paul Menon V, who is in the Maoists custody since April 21.

      Amid elaborate security arrangement, the interlocutors from the state government Nirmala Buch and Suyogya Kumar Misra and the interlocutors for the Maoists Dr Brahma Dev Sharma and Prof G Haragopal were closeted for the first time today for several hours, officials told ChhattisgarhTopNews.Com.

     However, both the sides failed to reach any conclusion after several hours of discussion and they would be meeting again tomorrow, the sources said.

     Bothe the sides met at the State Guest House Pahuna to find a solution to the demand of the Maoists for securing the release of the Sukma Collector, who was kidnapped when on a tour of the Majhipara area in Sukma District on April 21 during Gram Suraj Abhiyan. Menon was confronted by the Maoists guerrilla and after exchange of fire, the civil servant was kidnapped by Maoists after killing both his body guards.

     On the history of Chhattisgarh, this was the first occasion when the state government was talking to any of the Maoist leaders or their interlocutors.

      The Maoists have forwarded a list of names of their leaders and demanded their release for freeing the Collector. The rebels have also demanded halt to anti-Maoists operation in the state.