The hostage crisis in Orissa took a new turn with the Maoists on Wednesday evening setting fresh conditions for the release of Malkangiri collector R. Vineel Krishna after releasing junior engineer P.M. Majhi.
Sources said the rebels have asked for three mediators to come to Malkangiri, and have sought the immediate release of five jailed “comrades”.
One interlocutor, Prof. G. Hargopal, said: “They (the Maoists) have set certain new conditions... we have a feeling that at this stage it will not be possible to abide by them.”