New Delhi: The Maoist abductors of Biju Janata Dal MLA Jhina Hikaka on Sunday set a new deadline for his release, setting April 18 as the date for the government to meet their demands. The Naxals have demanded the release of 29 prisoners by 5.00 pm on April 18. However, dreaded Naxal Chhenda Bhusanam alias Ghasi is not a part of the list. The information was given to the lawyer of the prisoners.

The Maoists have reportedly promised to release the MLA in the presence of his wife and the prisoners’ lawyer, Nihar Patnaik if all their demands are met. Hikaka was abducted on March 24 in the Koraput district.

In a message, a leader of Maoists’ Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) set the new deadline of 5 pm of April 18 for release of 29 rebels, Nihar Ranjan Patnaik, a Koraput-based lawyer who fights cases for the Maoists, said.

The Maoists, who had earlier demanded release of 30 prisoners to free the tribal MLA, have also omitted the name of Chenda Bhusanam alias Ghasi, accused of killing at least 55 police personnel, from the list, he said.

The demand for release of Ghasi had drawn protest from different quarters including the police force with Odisha Police Association (OPA) threatening to boycott anti-Naxal operations if hardcore Maoists like him were freed to secure the release of the 37-year-old Laxmipur legislator.

The abductors, however, stuck to their condition of a prisoner-hostage exchange. They want the abducted MLA’s wife, Kaushalya and the lawyer to accompany the 29 freed rebels to release Hikaka, Patnaik said.

The message about extension of deadline was the first communication from the MLA’s abductors in the last four days.

The Odisha government was yet to respond to the fresh message from the Maoists. “We have come to know about it from the media. It needs to be examined,” a senior official said.

Hikaka, who was abducted by Maoists on March 24 in Koraput, continues to be in their captivity. Two Italians, abducted by a separate Naxal group on March 14 in Kandhamal, have been set free.

Though Ghasi’s name is out of the list now, it may still be difficult for the Odisha government to arrange physical presence of freed prisoners at Balipeta in naxal hotbed of Narayanpatna in Koraput district.

The government has agreed to release 23 prisoners – 15 Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha (CMAS) members and eight Maoists — but another problem is the rebels’ reluctance to seek bail as they want complete withdrawal of the cases against them.

State Home Secretary UN Behera said efforts were on to convince lawyers of Maoists and CMAS members to move bail petitions and the government was hopeful that they would file bail petitions by Tuesday.

“However, the government is yet to take a decision on the demand of abductors to free more people,” he said.

The fresh message from the abductors came as a sign of relief for Odisha government which had started exploring back channel negotiations with the ultras to strike a swap deal.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik visited Koraput and held a meeting with local leaders on Saturday, where the back channel negotiation option figured, a senior official said, adding that due to the Maoist group’s refusal to hold talks through mediators, it had become tough to resolve the crisis.

Some people’s representatives from Koraput were asked to explore contacts with the CMAS, a front organisation of Maoists, for striking a deal with AOBSZC, the official said.