-The Hindu The kidnap of a District Collector in Chhattisgarh even as the Odisha hostage crisis remains unresolved suggests the Maoists are looking at soft ways of escalating their ongoing war against the Indian state. This targeting of non-combatants, even if they are officials or representatives of the state, must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. That it directly refutes the Maoist claim to be battling for a higher purpose...

BHOPAL: In the midst of a hostage crisis, Chhattisgarh government has proposed names of two retired IAS officers S K Mishra and Mrs Nirmala Buch as mediators to negotiate with the Maoists for the safe release of Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon, who is in rebel captivity since April 21.  Chief Minister Raman Singh told reporters in Raipur "We have proposed the names of Mishra and Mrs Buch as mediators....

-IANS RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh government has virtually called a halt to its anti-Maoist offensive till Sukma District Collector Alex Paul Menon is released from captivity, official sources said Monday. "The whole focus is now to secure the safe and early release of Alex Paul Menon. The anti-Maoist operation issue can follow later on," a senior official at the police headquarters here told. The Maoists have demanded freeze on Operation Green Hunt against them...

-IANS Chhattisgarh police were on Sunday yet to find a clue about Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon, a day after he was abducted from a forested area at gun-point by Maoists while he was interacting with tribal farmers about their problems. Police officials posted in Sukma district searched certain parts of the forest area adjoining Andhra Pradesh in the early hours of Sunday to rescue the abducted 32-year-old collector. "But he...

-The Times of India BHOPAL: Within hours after the Maoists abducted Chhattisgarh's Sukma district collectorAlex Paul Menon, a large number of people gathered at the district headquarters in tribalBastar region and they gave a call for a bandh on Sunday, demanding release if the young IAS officer.  Local tribals, traders and other prominent people from the small town had a meeting late in the night where they decided to appeal to the...