New Delhi, April 21, IRNA -- In an audacious daylight operation, Maoist rebels Saturday abducted Collector of Chhattisgarh's Sukma district Alex Pal Menon from the middle of a meeting with villagers after killing his two security officers
Menon (32), an IAS officer of 2006 batch, was kidnapped from Majhipara village in Keralapal area of the Naxal-infested district this afternoon, pti reported quoting Additional Director of Police (anti-Naxal operations) Ram Nivas as said in Raipur, capital city of the state.
The incident happened when Menon, who went to the village on motorcycle was holding a meeting with the villagers as part of the government's 'Gram Suraj' campaign, aimed at weaning away the locals from the path of Naxalism.
'Around 20 Naxalites reached the spot and shot dead two personal security officers of the Collector before taking him into the nearby forest,' Ram Nivas said.
The Maoists, however, spared Sub-divisional Magistrate S K Vaidya, who was also present.
A police team led by district Superintendent of Police Abhishek Shandilya rushed to the spot and launch a combing operation to rescue the Collector, he said.
Chief Minister Ram Singh said full efforts will be made to secure Menon's release. 'We are analysing the situation,' he said.
Home Minister P Chidambaram spoke to Singh and assured him all help from the Centre.
The Sukma district Collector's kidnapping comes even as uncertainty continues over the fate of ruling BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka in neighbouring Odisha who was abducted by the Maoists about a month ago.
Naxals had last year kidnapped the Collector of adjoining Malkanagiri district of Odisha R Veenel Krishan along with a junior engineer and released them after the state government agreed to fulfill all 14 demands of the rebels including withdrawal of cases against top CPI (Maoist) leaders Prasadam, Padma and Eswari to facilitate their release from jails.
In Odisha two Italians were abducted by Maoists who freed them after a month in captivity after the state government acceded to their demand to release some of the jailed left wing extremists.
Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh DGP Anil M Navani said this is the first such incident of its type in the state. 'We are formulating our strategy to deal with it,' he said.
The Naxalites had yesterday triggered a powerful landmine blast targeting the convoy of Bijapur BJP MLA Mahesh Gagda in which two BJP workers and the driver of the vehicle carrying them were killed when he was on one such campaign.
