Captivity made me more sensitive to tribals, says Orissa collector

Feb 25 2011,Malkangiri:



Disctrict Collector R Vineel Krishna, who was back at work within 12 hours of homecoming after eight days in Maoist captivity, said that the incident was, "A life-changing experience that contributed to increasing one's sensitivity to the tough life tribals lived in remote forest areas."



Krishna, who reached home late, last night, met a large number of people early in the morning. They included school children, who thronged his residence to offer flowers and congratulate him on his safe return from Maoist captivity.



"The people's response to my plight and the support they showed, when I was in Naxalite captivity, was overwhelming. Everybody supported my family and me," he told newsmen. Replying to a question on whether he would like to continue working in Malkangiri, he said, "We have come here to work for the people. Given an opportunity, I would like to carry forward the work that I have been doing for the people in the remote, 'cut off' areas."



Referring to his stay with the Maoists, Krishna said, "There were Maoists from Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, as well as Chhattisgarh. It was a difficult terrain in a forested area. It was certainly difficult to be there at night--there was always an element of fear."



When asked how the Maoists decided to release him from captivity, Krishna said, "The turning point was the interlocutors' appeal through the All India Radio and BBC news for my release, saying that the government has accepted their demands." He said the rebels were connected to the outside world only through radio. "They also gave me their radio occasionally," he added.


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