Odisha MLA Jhina Hikaka, who was in Maoists captivity for the past 32 days, has finally been released on Thursday morning.He was released at an undisclosed location, after which Hikaka reached nearby Balipeta village around 10 AM.

The decision to free Hikaka was taken at the people's court on Tuesday after he gave an undertaking that he will resign from the state assembly and also try and get the Maoists' demands fulfilled. Maoists from the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee had kidnapped Hikaka from his constituency Laxmipur on 23 March while he was returning home. The indication of an end to the crisis came on Wednesday morning when a Maoist identifying herself as Aruna called a Koraput lawyer, and spoke of the release terms.