The rebels also Friday sought to justify the collector's abduction, saying he was part of the same system that harassed innocent persons such as teacher Soni Sori.

Reports say that now both Maoist interlocutors, Hyderabad-based Professor G. Hargopal and former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer B.D. Sharma -- who had served as district collector of Bastar as well, will head towards rebel-commanded Tarmetla area in Sukma district, where Maoists had massacred 76 security personnel in April 2010, the biggest ever attack carried out by the rebels till date.