The ultras yet to respond to the state government's offer for negotiations even though a pamphlet with 13 demands of the ultras has been received.
The fate of two Italians taken hostage by Maoists in Odisha's Kandhamal district remained unknown on Monday with the ultras yet to respond to the state government's offer for negotiations even though a pamphlet with 13 demands of the ultras has been received.
"A pamphlet in the name of 'Sunil', Secretary of Odisha State Organising Committee of CPI (Maoist), containing 13 their demands has been received and is being examined", Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told the assembly.
Stating the Maoists have not yet nominated their representatives to discuss the matter on their behalf with the government, Patnaik said, "when such a communication is received, further steps will be taken."
Making a fresh appeal to the Maoists to release the hostages, the chief minister said, "I once again make a strong appeal on humane grounds here in this august House to release the two Italian nationals immediately and to see they are unharmed."
He said the Italians, Paolo Boscusco and Claudio Colangelo, who were visiting some areas in Daringbadi Tahsil of Kandhamal district from March 12, were kidnapped by Maoists on March 14, but the abductors reported it late on March 17 night through the media.
Paolo Bosusco has been staying in India for the last 19 years in Puri and was running a travel agency named 'Odisha Adventurous Trekking' which has been organising trips to different parts of the state for tourists, while Colangelo was a tourist from Italy, Patnaik added.
The two Italians had driven down from Puri and entered a forested area inspite of being warned by Daringibadi police about Maoists.
A driver and cook who were accompanying them and their vehicle were released by the Maoists subsequently.
A report from Puri said that the driver, Kartik Parida, and cook, Santosh, were interrogated by police.
The chief minister also said, "I have spoken to External Affairs minister SM Krishna and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram informing them about the developments".
"The Italian Ambassador to India spoke to me yesterday and I apprised him about the present position, while the Consul General of Italy based in Kolkata has arrived in Bhubaneswar yesterday", he said.
Earlier, Home Secretary U N Behera said, "The state government is yet to receive a response from the abductors of the two Italians. The chief minister has made it clear that we are open to any kind of negotiation under the law".
Though the deadline set by the abductors in their 13-point demand, including immediate halt to combing operations and release of some leaders and tribals, ended last evening, a senior official said, it was presumed to have been extended.
Indicating that the government was adopting a wait and watch approach, he said, "since the government has made an offer for talks the deadline is understood to have been extended. A response from the kidnappers is awaited."
Though there were reports that combing operations in Maoist-hit areas by the security forces had been halted, the home secretary said, no formal order has been issued for stopping them.
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