Bhubaneswar: As the deadline for the release of 29 jailed cadres in exchange of abducted Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA Jhina Hikaka ended on Wednesday, the Maoists rejected the proposal of the Odisha government for consideration of withdrawal of cases against prisoners.
The Maoists, instead, demanded immediate withdrawal of cases.
They further said that the fate of the abducted MLA would be decided on Thursday at a people’s court.
The Maoists had demanded the release of 29 prisoners by 5:00 pm on April 18.
The Maoists had reportedly promised to release the MLA in the presence of his wife and the prisoners' lawyer, Nihar Patnaik if all their demands were met. Hikaka was abducted on March 24 in the Koraput district.
In a message, a leader of Maoists' Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) had set the new deadline of 5 pm of Wednesday for release of 29 rebels.
The Maoists, who had earlier demanded release of 30 prisoners to free the tribal MLA, later omitted the name of Chenda Bhusanam alias Ghasi, accused of killing at least 55 police personnel, from the list.
The demand for release of Ghasi had drawn protest from different quarters including the police force with Odisha Police Association (OPA) threatening to boycott anti-Maoists operations if hardcore Maoists like him were freed to secure the release of the 37-year-old Laxmipur legislator.
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