Two Maoist mediators contested on Friday CM Raman Singh’s denial of a swap deal to secure Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon’s release.
G. Haragopal and B.D. Sharma told reporters, “There was an understanding to release three Maoists.”
Mr Sharma said Maoists first wanted eight leaders released but scaled down to three. Later, they gave a list of 347 prisoners demanding trials in fast-track courts.
Official sources said Maoists insisted on release of Shantipriya alias Malati Reddy, wife of Dandakaranya special zonal committee spokesman Gudsa Usendi alias Vijay Reddy, Meenati Choudhury and Debapal Chandrasekhar Reddy.
They delayed the collector’s release by a few hours when there was no sign of government taking steps to facilitate release of the two women Maoists.
The rebels gave the green signal to release the collector only after a bail application of Meena was moved in a Raipur court.
The bail applications of the two women Maoists have been, meanwhile, rejected.
Collector reunites with pregnant wife
It was an emotional moment for the Menons in Sukma, nearly 450 km from here, when district collector Alex reunited with his pregnant wife Asha on Friday morning.
Mr Menon, who flew to Sukma by a chopper from Chintalnar CRPF base, where he spent the night after he was released by Maoists on Thursday evening, proceeded to his official bungalow in an official car, with a sea of people greeting him all the way.
He pushed through the crowd of admirers and entered his house, where his brother first greeted him with a tight hug, followed by wife and mother-in-law.