Maoists refuse to free MLA Jhina Hikaka

MLA Jhina Hikaka

Bending further to the demands of MLA Jhina Hikaka’s Maoists abductors, the state government on Wednesday agreed to withdraw cases against 13 prisoners. But that seemed hardly to move the extremists, who refused to release the tribal legislator even as their deadline to do so expired on 5 pm on Wednesday .

The Maoists instead said they had lost trust on the government and announced to produce Hikaka in a “praja court” (people’s court) to take a final decision on whether or not to free him. The Maoists had on Tuesday indicated that they would consider freeing the MLA if the government expressed its willingness to withdraw cases against their people. They taking a U-turn a day later though came as a shocker for the government, officials here however did not lose hope on the MLA walking free sooner rather than later. (Source – Times of India)