<p>Maoists on Sunday demanded the release of eight of their jailed leaders in Chhattisgarh and a halt to “Operation Green Hunt” by April 25 in exchange for the freedom of Sukma Collector Alex Paul Menon, who is safe, a day after he was abducted.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The demands were made even as spiritual leader Swami Agnivesh expressed willingness to mediate between the naxals and the government to secure the release of the 32-year-old 2006-batch IAS officer, who was abducted on Saturday at Majhipara in Raipur district where he was meeting villagers for a government outreach programme.<br /><br />Additional Director Generalof Police Ram Nivas (anti- naxal operations) told reporters that the demands were made by an unidentified naxal leader in an audio message to media houses. <br /><br />The authenticity of the tape was being verified, he said. No Maoist group has got in touch yet with the state government.<br /><br />According to Nivas, the demands made were an immediate halt to “Operation Green Hunt”(anti-Maoist offensive), sending security forces in Bastar region back to the barracks and release of eight jailed Maoist leaders, including two women. The Maoist leader has alleged that false cases have been foisted on the eight jailed ultras.<br /><br />Nivas said police have received some vital clues and added that Menon was safe.<br />Meanwhile, the shocked father of Alex Paul Menon on Sunday led his family’s appeal to the Maoists, to set free the Tamil Nadu-born IAS officer. The 31-year-old Menon’s father, A Varadhas, back in Tamil Nadu just two days ago after visiting his son in Chhattisgarh, appealed through a local Tamil television channel to set free his son safely so that he could “return to work for the uplift” of the people of that backward state.<br /><br />“My son is not an enemy of the Maoists,” Vardhas said. “He only went to serve the people of Chhattisgarh,” he explained. <br /><br />Varadhas, a retired headmaster of a primary school, said he first got to know about it around 5 pm on Saturday. “Alex did not first tell his wife about it when he spoke to her briefly after the incident, but later Asha informed us...,” said a visibly shaken Varadhas.<br /><br />Menon’s wife Asha also made a fresh appeal to the Naxals saying they were married only a few months ago and he had always worked for the people. She said that Menon had some health problems and was not carrying adequate medicines when he was abducted.<br /><br />“He is an asthmatic patient and I request the government and the Naxals to understand that he is just left with two doses of medication,” she said.<br />Meanwhile, the Association of IAS Officers in Chattisgarh held a meeting here and appealed to the ultras to release the Collector unharmed.<br /><br />Locals in the area where Menon was kidnapped took out a peace march to demand his release. A large number of people, including schoolchildren, participated.<br />Menon’s wife Asha said she was keeping in touch with senior officials at the state and central levels.</p>
<p>Maoists on Sunday demanded the release of eight of their jailed leaders in Chhattisgarh and a halt to “Operation Green Hunt” by April 25 in exchange for the freedom of Sukma Collector Alex Paul Menon, who is safe, a day after he was abducted.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The demands were made even as spiritual leader Swami Agnivesh expressed willingness to mediate between the naxals and the government to secure the release of the 32-year-old 2006-batch IAS officer, who was abducted on Saturday at Majhipara in Raipur district where he was meeting villagers for a government outreach programme.<br /><br />Additional Director Generalof Police Ram Nivas (anti- naxal operations) told reporters that the demands were made by an unidentified naxal leader in an audio message to media houses. <br /><br />The authenticity of the tape was being verified, he said. No Maoist group has got in touch yet with the state government.<br /><br />According to Nivas, the demands made were an immediate halt to “Operation Green Hunt”(anti-Maoist offensive), sending security forces in Bastar region back to the barracks and release of eight jailed Maoist leaders, including two women. The Maoist leader has alleged that false cases have been foisted on the eight jailed ultras.<br /><br />Nivas said police have received some vital clues and added that Menon was safe.<br />Meanwhile, the shocked father of Alex Paul Menon on Sunday led his family’s appeal to the Maoists, to set free the Tamil Nadu-born IAS officer. The 31-year-old Menon’s father, A Varadhas, back in Tamil Nadu just two days ago after visiting his son in Chhattisgarh, appealed through a local Tamil television channel to set free his son safely so that he could “return to work for the uplift” of the people of that backward state.<br /><br />“My son is not an enemy of the Maoists,” Vardhas said. “He only went to serve the people of Chhattisgarh,” he explained. <br /><br />Varadhas, a retired headmaster of a primary school, said he first got to know about it around 5 pm on Saturday. “Alex did not first tell his wife about it when he spoke to her briefly after the incident, but later Asha informed us...,” said a visibly shaken Varadhas.<br /><br />Menon’s wife Asha also made a fresh appeal to the Naxals saying they were married only a few months ago and he had always worked for the people. She said that Menon had some health problems and was not carrying adequate medicines when he was abducted.<br /><br />“He is an asthmatic patient and I request the government and the Naxals to understand that he is just left with two doses of medication,” she said.<br />Meanwhile, the Association of IAS Officers in Chattisgarh held a meeting here and appealed to the ultras to release the Collector unharmed.<br /><br />Locals in the area where Menon was kidnapped took out a peace march to demand his release. A large number of people, including schoolchildren, participated.<br />Menon’s wife Asha said she was keeping in touch with senior officials at the state and central levels.</p>