The outlawed People's War group naxalites, who abducted three cops and a home guard eight days ago, have released the home guard with a 48-hour ultimatum to the government to concede to their demands to secure the release of the rest of the hostages.

State police spokesman, Shujath Ali, said the naxalites released Home Guard D Babu Rao on Wednesday and sent a chit containing a fresh deadline to meet their demands.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, on his return from a two-day visit to Visakhapatnam, is expected to chair a high-level meeting to consider the demands, a senior officer said.

The naxalites had waylaid a bus and abducted Sub-inspector P Anjaneyulu (56), Assistant Sub-inspector M Subba Rao (54), Constable S Brahmendra Kumar and Home Guard D Babu Rao, all attached to the Peddaraveedu police station in Prakasam district, on April 2.

Subsequently, PW's Nallamada forest division committee secretary, Sudershan, issued a statement listing out the group's demands.
 
Among other things, the group has demanded immediate end to 'fake' police encounters, release of five naxalites undergoing life imprisonment for the murder of former Congress MP, Magunta Subbarama Reddy and dropping of 16 POTA cases against PW leaders and sympathisers.

The group had demanded that either the home minister or the chief minister make an announcement accepting the demands.