About 50 armed Naxals stopped the vehicle of Laxmipur MLA Jhina Hikaka near Toyaput, where the road had been dug up and a truck blocked the way, Koraput superintendent of police Avinash Kumar said.
Maoists abducted a ruling BJD MLA while he was returning home from Koraput district on Saturday, leading to suspension of the negotiations for the release of two Italian nationals taken hostage by the rebels ten days ago.
About 50 armed Naxals stopped the vehicle of Laxmipur MLA Jhina Hikaka near Toyaput, where the road had been dug up and a truck blocked the way, Koraput superintendent of police Avinash Kumar said.
While the personal security officer (PSO) and driver of the MLA were allowed to leave, Hikaka was taken away into the nearby forest, he said.
Maoists put up posters stating that the MLA would be kept hostage until their demand for a halt to anti-Naxal operations by security forces - a demand that had been accepted by the government after they had released the then Malkangiri district collector in February, 2011 — was fulfilled.
The kidnapping of the MLA led to abrupt suspension of talks between the Maoist negotiators and the state government. Home Secretary U N Behera, one of the mediators on the government side, said that during the last two days unfortunate incidents like the killing of a police sub-inspector and the abduction of the MLA had taken place. “Under the circumstances, the mediators suggested suspension of talks,” he said, appealing to the ultras to release the three hostages.
Speaking in the same vein, Maoist-nominated negotiators, social activist B D Sharma and Dandapani Mohanty said, “We feel this is a mockery of peaceful talks and negotiation.”
They appealed to the ultras to release the three hostages. “Though substantial progress was made during the talks for two days, some disquieting reports have been received in the meantime,” the Maoist negotiators said. While peace talks were in progress, police sub-inspector K C Rath was killed at Khairput in Malkangiri district on March 22, they said. “While Maoists have not yet claimed responsibility for the incident, they have called a bandh today demanding a halt to Operation Greenhunt and release of all political prisoners,” the mediators said.
Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik called up home minister P Chidambaram during the day and briefed him about the situation arising out of the kidnapping of the MLA and the two Italians. State chief secretary B K Patnaik also called up Union home secretary R K Singh, and briefed him about the two kidnapping incidents.
Government sources said Odisha has sought logistic support from the Centre to free the two Italians from Maoist custody, a request which the home ministry has agreed to look into. This may involve tracking the Sabyasachi Panda group with the help of satellite and UAV imagery and then sending a crack team of National Security Guards (NSG) to free the Italian duo - Bosusco Paolo (55), and Claudio Colangelo, (60), who were abducted from Kandhamal district by Panda on March 12.
Sources said NSG (National Security Guard) commandos have been kept on standby and may be rushed to Odisha at short notice to assist the state security forces in rescuing the kidnapped persons.
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