With the Maoists extending the deadline for the Orissa Government to meet their demands, efforts for release of Malkangiri District Collector R V Krishna and a junior engineer through negotiations gained pace today.

As Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Mohan Majhi spent the fourth day in captivity, the two mediators handpicked by the Maoists and contacted by Orissa Government are expected to arrive in Bhubaneswar shortly in order to speed up the process of negotiations.

According to Home Secretary U N Behera, the State Government has been in regular contact with the two Hyderabad-based interlocutors – Prof Someswar Rao and Prof Hargopal – and the process is gathering momentum. Following an appeal by the Orissa Government and others, the 48-hour deadline for fulfilment of their demands was extended by the Maoists, who had abducted the 30-year-old IAS officer of 2005 batch and Majhi on Wednesday evening.

The mediators and social activist Swami Agnivesh, who has been contacted by the State Government, have appealed to the Maoists not to cause any bodily harm to the hostages.

Besides halt to anti-Naxal joint combing operations, which has already been conceded, the seven-point demands included withdrawal of BSF, release of 700 jailed tribal Naxals and scrapping of Polavaram multi-purpose dam project in Andhra Pradesh.