Govt plans to prepare SOP to deal with hostage crisis
Faced with the hostage situation in Odisha, the Centre is planning to seek cooperation from all states in preparing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to deal with any crisis arising out of kidnapping.
Home Ministry is likely to raise the issue at the Chief Ministers conference on internal security to be held here on April 16 and put forward its views on formulating an SOP to deal with any hostage situation, official sources said.
The necessity of an SOP arose in view of the problems being faced by the Odisha government following abduction of an MLA and an Italian tour operator by the Naxals and subsequent demands of the rebels to release jailed colleagues.
The SOP, if formulated after consultation with the states, would suggest the states as well as Central governments how to deal such a crisis and how much one should yield to fulfil the abductors' demands, sources said.
Meanwhile, the Centre is believed to have advised the Odisha government to be cautious in accepting the demands of the Naxals to get release of ruling BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka and Italian Paolo Bosusco, sources said.
The Naxals are demanding release of hardcore Naxal Chenda Bhusanam alias Ghasi, an accused in the killing of at least 55 security personnel, besides others.
"Security forces arrest Naxals after great difficulty. If we keep releasing them from jails to get release of hostages, it will have big demoralising effect on the forces," a source said.
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