Orissa hostage crisis ends; Naxal issue remains

New Delhi: Crowds swelled on Tuesday in front of RV Krishna's residence as news spread fast that Krishna along with Pabitra Majhi had been freed by the Naxals and on his way back home.
Malkangiri, it appeared, couldn't wait to greet him and it is a testimony to the good work of the collector.
"We got the news that he was freed and is on his way home," said a government officer.
What was unusual during the duo's captivity in fact was that tribals came out braving the wrath of Maoists.
The drama lasted seven days all in all. RV Krishna and Pabitra Majhi were abducted last Wednesday. The Naxals gave an initial deadline of 48 hours which was extended after appeals from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
In the ensuing days, the government hunted down the negotiators the Maoists named - Prof Hargopal, Somaswara Rao and Dandapani Mohanty - and it was three days of effort to arrive at a breakthrough.
"Agree to withdraw cases against Gantiprasadam," said Orissa Home Secretary UN Behera.
In the end, all the 14 demands of the Maoists were resolved, except one - the government refused to release Naxal leader Sriramulu Srinivas.
"We are happy with the negotiations," said Prof Hargopal.
The news of hostage release was greeted with tremendous relief and with much mutual backslapping. But once the high dies down, the question remains - will this happen again?

Read more at: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/orissa-hostage-crisis-ends-naxal-issue-remains/144112-3.html