Hostages safe, discussion on: Orissa home secretary
By IANSMonday, February 21, 2011
BHUBANESWAR - Orissa Home Secretary U.N. Behera Monday said the two state officials kidnapped by Maoists Feb 16 were safe.
“All the issues they have raised ..we are discussing…they have assured us they (the hostages) are safe. We are very hopeful that it (the matter) will be sorted out soon,” Behera told reporters during the lunch break.
Behera and Panchayati Raj Secretary S.N. Tripathy began the second round of talks with the negotiators Dandapani Mohanty and academicians G. Haragopal and R. Someswar Rao in the state guest house here Monday.
The talks which began Sunday and went on for several hours remained inconclusive.
The district collector of Malkangiri, R. Vineel Krishna, and junior engineer Pabitra Mohan Majhi, were abducted by Maoists on Feb 16 evening.
