Maoists claimed that the foreigners were taken hostage while allegedly taking objectionable photographs of tribals in interior areas despite a ban.
Two Italian tourists were abducted in the tribal-dominated Ganjam district of Odisha by Maoists, who demanded an immediate end to anti-Naxal operations and release of some of their jailed colleagues.
The Italian tourists, Bosusco Paolo, functioning as a tour operator in Puri, and Claudio Colangelo, who were on a trekking tour on the Ganjam-Kandhamal border, were abducted by Maoists yesterday, Chief Secretary B K Patnaik told reporters in Bhubaneswar today.
As a deadline set by the Maoists for fulfilling their demands ended this evening, Home Ministry officials said in Delhi that no combing operations have been carried out against the Naxals after the abduction of the two Italians, as both the central and state governments wanted to tread cautiously on the issue.
State Home Secretary UN Behera, who negotiated with the Maoist-selected mediators during the last year's kidnapping of IAS officer RV Krishna, said that the state government had kept all channels open for a discussion with the kidnappers.
"According to information available with the state government the abducted tourists are safe," Behera said, adding the state government had not contacted any person to negotiate with the kidnappers.
After reviewing the situation, Chief Secretary Patnaik told reporters that there was still "no information on the whereabouts of the abducted Italian tourists."
Maoists have demanded immediate halt to combing operation and fulfilment of the 13-point negotiations with the state government following the kidnapping of the then Malkangiri district collector R Vineel Krishna in February last year. The 30-year-old IAS officer was freed by Maoists after nine days in captivity.
External Affairs Minister SM Krishna spoke to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who briefed him on the efforts being made to secure the release of the hostages.
The Ministry of External Affairs is in touch with Italy to facilitate assistance through the authorities concerned and is keeping it informed about the latest developments in the abduction case, official sources said in Delhi.
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