Bhubaneswar, March 19: The deadlock over the hostage crisis in the state was broken with Maoists proposing three mediators to negotiate with the government on their behalf even as chief minister Naveen Patnaik offered an olive branch promising to call a halt to Operation Greenhunt against the rebels. The Maoists also extended the deadline till tomorrow evening for the government to make a move for the release of the captives.

Odisha State Organising Committee secretary of the CPI (Maoist) Sabyasachi Panda said highly respected Naxal leader Narayan Sanyal, currently lodged in Giridih jail in Jharkhand, convenor of the Jan Adhikar Manch Dandpani Mohanty and human rights activist Biswapriya Kanungo would act as mediators on behalf of the rebels. Panda also said that the Maoists were declaring a unilateral ceasefire in the state.

On the other hand, the chief minister appeared ready to buy peace assuring the Maoists that no coercive action would be taken against them by the security forces provided they do not indulge in violence.

His assurance was made in a statement in the Assembly in the evening. This incidentally was Naveen’s second statement on the issue in the House today.

“There would be no coercive action by the security forces as long as the Odisha State Organising Committee of the CPI (Maoist) does not indulge in any violence and other unlawful activities,” said Naveen.

Naveen also urged the Maoists to start negotiations for the release of the two Italian hostages.

“They should nominate their representatives without any further delay,” he said.

The chief minister also appealed to the Maoists to help create a congenial environment for discussion.

Subhashree Panda, the wife of Sabyasachi Panda, Odisha’s top Maoist leader, who is believed to have masterminded the kidnapping, also appealed to the Maoists not to harm the hostages and urged the government to initiate negotiations as soon as possible for their release.

In Kandhamal’s Daringbadi area, the scene of the kidnapping, placard-bearing school children took out a procession, demanding the release of the Italian tourist, Claudio Colangelo, and tour operator Paolo Bosusco, describing them as “guests”, who ought to be protected at all costs in the true Indian tradition.

The kidnapping took place near Daringbadi on March 14 on the border of Kandhamal and Ganjam districts, about 350 kms from here.

Naveen further said that the government had news from the families of the two Italians from the cities of Rome and Turin who are in a great distress and are naturally deeply concerned about the fate of their relatives.

The chief minister also acknowledged that the government had received a pamphlet signed by Sunil, one of the aliases of Sabyasachi Panda, secretary of the Odisha State Organising Committee of the CPI (Maoist), containing 13 demands of the Maoists. “This pamphlet is being examined,” he said.

The demands communicated by the Maoists today indicated differences in their ranks, as apart from reiterating the demands they made in the wake of former Malkangiri collector R. Vineel Krishna they have come up with fresh demands.

The new demands include lifting of ban on the CPI (Maoist) and other mass organisations and release of anti-displacement leaders such as Abhay Sahu and Narayan Reddy and action against police officers responsible for the death of Maoist leaders in fake encounters and gangrape of Arati Majhi.

The state government is also under pressure from the Italian embassy and the Central government.

Consul general of Italy Joel Melchoriori today met chief secretary B.K. Patnaik once again to discuss the latest development on the hostage front. Earlier on Sunday, the Italian ambassador, Union home minister P. Chidambaram and external affairs minister S.M. Krishna had spoken to the chief minister on the issue.

Paolo came to Puri for the first time in 1999 on a tourist visa. He was running a travel agency along with one Bijay Kumar Dash of Puri since 2001, on Chakratirtha Road. He had a tourist visa, which is valid till October this year.

The incident has brought Daringbadi, a well-known tourist spot in Kandhamal, into international focus. Situated more than 3,000 feet above the sea level, Daringbadi is blessed with scenic beauty with tall pine and sal trees dotting the landscape.