Barring any last minute hitch, Italian hostage Paolo Basusco may be freed soon from his three-week captivity by Maoists who reached an agreement with the Odisha government late on Saturday.
Another group, which had abducted BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka, extended its deadline to April 10 demanding release of five more people whose names were not on the list of 27 who were offered to be released by the state government in a swap deal.
"We have reached an agreement and concluded the fortnight-long negotiations with mediators nominated by CPI (Maoist) for the release of Italian Paolo Bosusco," Home Secretary U. N. Behera told reporters as both sides released a signed joint statement after the talks.
Behera, who led the three-member state government side at the negotiations, said the joint statement was signed by both sides as demanded by the Maoist Odisha State Organising Committee which was holding Bosusco captive since March 14.