Italian foreign minister Giulio Terzi called his counterpart SM Krishna who assured that the Odisha government was taking all steps to secure early release of two Italians kidnapped by Maoists in the state. “Krishna has received a call from Italian foreign minister. The external affairs
He assured that Odisha government is doing all it can to ensure the release of the two kidnapped Italians,” Official Spokesperson in the MEA Syed Akbarudding said on Monday.
He said Terzi thanked the external affairs minister for assistance provided by Indian government agencies so far.
Meanwhile, the fate of the two Italians taken hostage by Maoists in Kandhamal district remained unknown with the ultras yet to respond to the state government’s offer for negotiations even though a pamphlet with 13 demands of the ultras has been received.
Making a fresh appeal to the Maoists to release the hostages, the state chief minister Naveen Patnaik said “I once again make a strong appeal on humane grounds here in this august House to release the two Italian nationals immediately and to see they are unharmed.”
He said the Italians, Paolo Boscusco and Claudio Colangelo, who were visiting some areas in Daringbadi Tahsil of Kandhamal district from March 12, were kidnapped by Maoists on March 14 but the abductors reported it late on March 17 night through the media.
Maoists name interlocutors, extend deadline
Maoists Monday extended the dead line for release of the two Italian nationals they abducted five days ago, and named three interlocutors to begin a dialogue with the Odisha government.
A rebel leader who called himself as Sunil announced the names through an audio message sent to some selected journalists.