NEW DELHI: As the deadline set by the Maoists crept closer, the Chhattisgarh government on Tuesday named two former bureaucrats as interlocutors for talks to secure the release of abducted Sukma District Collector Alex Paul Menon.
The State government also rushed medicines through Bastar’s CPI leader and president of the All India Adivasi Mahasabha Manish Kunjam for Menon who is an asthma patient and said to be ill.
Home Ministry sources said Kunjam was expected to reach anytime on Tuesday evening with medicine at the designated location.
Two senior former bureaucrats, Suyogya K Mishra and Nirmala Buch, will soon have a meeting with the State Cabinet subcommittee formed by Chief Minister
Raman Singh to negotiate the demands made by the ultras.
Speaking to Express over the phone, Buch said, “We will have to wait and see how things unfold in the coming days. The State government approached me and I have accepted to talk on their behalf. I will have a discussion with the State officials and try to work out a strategy to end this crisis,” she said.
Chief Minister Raman Singh, while talking to reporters in Raipur, said the process of talks will start soon and so there should not be any deadline for resolving the issue.
“We have been told by the family members that Collector Menon is an asthma patient and his health is deteriorating.
“Manish Kunjam has agreed to send the medicine kit to Tarimetla village as soon as possible. We are constantly in touch on phone and we are getting information,” Singh said.