Bhubaneshwar: Naxals released junior engineer Pabitra Majhi on Wednesday. Majhi was reportedly released in Janatai village from where he crossed the Janvai River and came to Chitrakonda. Majhi and Malkangiri District Collector R Vineel Krishna, a 2005 batch IAS officer, were abducted by the Naxals on February 16.
He came out of the forests on a motorcycle along with two men. Majhi sat in the middle and had his head and face covered with a red-coloured helmet. The two men who accompanied Majhi are yet to be identified.
Majhi was brought to Krishna's residence in Malkangiri by district officials. However, there is still no news about when Krishna would be released.
"We have been anxiously waiting for his return. I am relieved that he is back," said Majhi's mother Parvati Majhi. "I am very happy that my brother has been released," said his brother Biren Majhi.
Earlier, one of the mediators Professor Hargopal said that it could take another 48 hours before Krishna and Majhi are released by the Naxals. Hargopal said that the Naxals agreed to release the duo following discussions between Orissa government and the mediators.
The Naxals gave an initial deadline of 48 hours which was extended after appeals from Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Orissa government has agreed to meet most of the demands put forward by the Naxals except one - the release Naxal leader Sriramulu Srinivas.
Naxal ideologue Varavara Rao, who had claimed that the hostages were handed over to four sarpanches on Tuesday night, expressed regret for having given the information as some modifications were made in the process of freeing the duo.
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