The Naxalites freed one of the two Italian hostages after 11 days of abduction on Sunday afternoon, the day after the interlocutors declared suspension of talks with the government.
The Communist Party of India (Maoists) leader Sabyasachi Panda handed over the Italian tourist Claudio Colangelo to a group of three journalists at an unknown place in Kandhamal district, close to its border with Ganjam district, from where they had abducted the foreigners along with their two Indian assistants on March 14.
“I feel very relieved. I want to meet my family soon,” Colangelo told a group of journalists soon after his release. He also said that he would like to visit Orissa again, but not the jungles of the state, a view that can jeopardise the state government’s effort to earn money by promoting eco-tourism.
“They (rebels) tried to give good hospitality. They never hurt us” he said. He was satisfied with the state government’s efforts to secure his release.
Later, the released traveler was handed over to Ganjam Police for further interrogation and other formalities.
However, the red rebels are still adamant about their demands and have said once the state government announces to fulfill all their conditions, including halting anti-Naxal operation and waiving ‘false charges” against some jailed tribal leaders, they will release the other Italian national, Paolo Basusco, who has been running a tribal-tourism and trekking tour firm in Puri for last 20 year.
In his conversation with the media persons who visited the Naxal camp deep in the jungle, rebel leader Panda justified the abduction saying, his organization was forced to kidnap the visitors to highlight the faulty tourism policy of the state which was projecting the tribals as an “object of pleasure” to draw tourists to the state.
The government continued the discussion with two Naxal-nominated negotiators on the issue until Saturday, when the talks ended abruptly after the rebels kidnapped one ruling BJD MLA from Laxmipur constituency of Koraput district. They had also killed one police officer on March 22 in Malkanagiri district.
The state government then asked the Naxals to name a third interlocutor to continue the talks sensing differences of opinion within the left-wing extremist group.
But Naxal leader Panda has said he was happy with the talks conducted between the interlocutors and the government nominees and expected the parleys would continue in future as well, hinting that the cease fire declared by the red rebels will remain in effect as of now.
Meanwhile, Dandapani Mohanty, one of the two Naxal negotiators, said the decision of resuming negotiation with the government will be taken after discussion with the media persons who met Panda.
