Chhattisgarh CM thanks mediators, all relieved after Menon's safe release

Raipur, May 3 (ANI): Expressing relief over the release of abducted Sukma District Collector Alex Paul Menon, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Thursday thanked the mediators and all those concerned for their assistance in helping the government during this entire hostage crisis.

"I thank the mediators Professor Hargopal, Dr. B.D. Sharma, Nirmala Buch and S.K. Mishra, whose efforts were quite prominent. They had a very long discussion and the positive result that has come out today is because of their hard work," said Raman Singh.we informed that the Standing Committee, which has been constituted, would review the cases all tribal undertrials and naxalites, and expressed hope that peace will now prevail in the state.

"As I had earlier said that we will take the next step soon after the release. A new committee will be constituted, which I had promised earlier also; we have now constituted a Standing Committee. The high power standing committee will review the cases all tribal undertrials and Naxalites," said Raman Singh.

"Since the committee has been constituted, I hope there will now be peace in the state," he added.

Raman Singh also remembered the two police personnel, who were killed by the ultras at the time of the IAS officer's abduction.

"We all were waiting for a good news and after a wait of 12 days, we got the news of our Collector Alex Paul Menon's safe release. This is a subject of pleasure for our state and the people the country. On this day, we also remember the two martyrs, who lost their lives," he said.

Raman Singh further said he has asked Menon to take rest at the CRPF camp tonight.

"I advised the Deputy Commissioner to rest at the CRPF camp for the night. Tomorrow, he will be taken to where he wants to go with security," he said.

Alex Paul Menon, who was handed over to the two mediators, BD Sharma and Professor G. Hargopal, will spend the night at the CRPF camp in Chintanlar.

Menon, who has expressed a sigh of relief after his release, is expected to speak to the media tomorrow.

The Maoists had kidnapped Menon after killing two of his bodyguards on April 21, while he was meeting with villagers of Majhipara village in the Keralapal area of the Naxal-infected district.

The Naxals had demanded the release of eight colleagues: Markam Gopanna alias Satyam Reddy, Nirmal Akka alias Vijay Laxmi, Devpal Chandrashekhar Reddy, Shantipriya Reddy, Meena Choudhari, Korsa Sunny, Markam Sunny and Asit Kumar Sen.

The ultras also wanted anti-Naxal Operation Green Hunt to be cancelled, security forces to be withdrawn from the region and persons against whom they allege "fake cases" have been registered, released from the jails.

The new agreement that has been concluded by the negotiators is different from the earlier demands of the Maoist abductors.

Menon is the first collector of the newly-created Sukma district and was known to be pro-active in undertaking development work in the backward region. (ANI)