Bhubaneswar/New Delhi, Mar 18
Two Italian tourists were abducted in the tribal-dominated Ganjam district of Odisha by Maoists demanding an immediate end to anti-Naxal operations and release of some jailed colleagues.

The Italian tourists, Bosusco Paolo, 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 BK 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 had been carried out against the Naxals after the abduction of the two Italians, as 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 the state government had kept all channels open for discussion with the kidnappers.

“According to information available with the state government, the abducted tourists are safe,” Behera said. The state government had not contacted any person to negotiate with the kidnappers, he added.

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.

The Italian tourists had come from Puri by a vehicle and had ventured into the forest area despite being warned of the Maoist menace by the Daringibadi police.

They were accompanied by a driver and a cook, the Chief Secretary said, adding that the Maoists, however, released the two along with the vehicle. The cook and the driver are being questioned.

Italian Consul General Joel Melchiori rushed to Bhubaneswar and discussed the issue with Odisha authorities. “We hope to solve the issue as soon as possible....and hopefully they will be rescued,” he said. — PTI