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[nahia]

NEW DELHI: Social activist Swami Agnivesh established contact with the Maoists late on Thursday after the Orissa government requested him to negotiate the release of abducted Malkangiri district collector RV Krishna. Based on their conversation with Agnivesh, the Maoists extended the deadline for the release of the officer. ( Read: To free Orissa IAS officer, Maoists want 700 in return )

''I insist chief minister Naveen Patnaik should now take the initiative and intervene and talk to me to discuss the modalities of the officer's release,'' said Agnivesh. Earlier in the day, Orissa's principal secretary (home) U N Behera had called Agnivesh. ''The home secretary assured me that the state government will not conduct combing operations until the district collector is released,'' said Agnivesh. ( Read: Reds abduct Malkangiri collector )

''I have appealed to the Maoists not to harm the collector,'' Agnivesh said, adding that the Orissa government should announce 72-hour ceasefire and suspend all operations against the Maoists. ''The Maoists will respond positively to this move and help the peace talks,'' he said. ( Read: Orissa forces call halt to operations )

Agnivesh last week successfully negotiated the release of five Chhattisgarh cops abducted by the Maoists. After returning from Raipur, he sought an appointment with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. ''The government is treating each incident on an ad hoc basis. It doesn't help. The Centre should have a policy in place to deal with such situations,'' he said.