The Chhattisgarh government today rushed medicines for abducted Sukma District Collector Alex Paul Menon, hours after Maoists informed them he was critically ill.
The medicines are being sent through president of All India Adivasi Mahasabha Manish Kunjam, one of the mediators named by the Maoists to hold negotiations with the government.
Though Kunjam has refused to take part in the mediation process, he has agreed to take medicines to the collector.
Last night, the Maoists had named three mediators including lawyer Prashant Bhushan and former national SC/ST Commission chairperson B D Sharma, as their chosen negotiators after the Chhattisgarh government offered to hold talks to free Menon from the extremists.
The Naxals said only the three named by them would be allowed to negotiate in the Tarimetla village and asked them to accept the invitation to act as mediators.
Kunjam, who had declined the Maoists' offer yesterday citing regional circumstances and party obligations, said today he was ready to take medicines for the 32-year-old IAS officer, who is an asthma patient.
"Menon's life is supreme. I will be going to Sukma soon and then proceed to Tarimetla with the medicines. Thereafter, I will come back," he said.
Chief Minister Raman Singh's Chief Secretary N Brijendra Kumar told PTI today that a few journalists from the Naxal-hit Bastar region have also offered to take medicines for Menon. The state government has decided to give them permission provided they keep a distance from police, lest it proves detrimental to the officer's safety.
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