Raipur, Apr 25 (PTI) The Chhattisgarh government said it has called for a high-level meeting here today with its two mediators, to decide on the strategy and further course of action for resolving the hostage crisis involving Sukma Collector Alex Paul Menon and secure his early release. Speaking to reporters here, Chief Minister Raman Singh said senior state officials will hold deliberations with the two mediators --former chief secretaries of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh--Nirmala Buch and Suyogya Kumar Mishra -- this evening to determine on the next plan of action for dealing with the abduction issue, ensuring that Menon is freed by the extremists. Singh said the mediators will also have discussions the ministerial sub-committee that was formed by the state government to look into the crisis. Yesterday, the state government had named Buch and Mishra as its nominees to hold talks with the ultras who abducted the 32-year-old IAS officer on Saturday. Singh reiterated that since the dialogue process will be starting the Maoists should not insist on any deadline, which ends today. Meanwhile, Chief Minister's Chief Secretary Bijendra Kumar said that the government has agreed and approved former National SC/ST Commission chairperson B D Sharma and Professor G Hargopal's names, which were put forward by Maoists as their mediators for talks with it for the release of Menon. Both Sharma and Hargopal said they were ready to mediate on behalf of the Maoists. Hargopal told reporters that talks between the two sides will happen only after giving due consideration to the demands put forward by the naxals. He said that several innocent tribals have been jailed since for many years and he would take up this issue with the state government. (MORE) PTI SNG DK
