After captivating for 29 long days, the Maoists in Odisha freed Italian hostage Paolo Bosuscoyesterday April 11. Maoists handed over the 54-year-old Paulo to their mediator Dandapani Mohanty and few journalists in the forest of tribal-controlled Kandhamal district which bordered Gajapati and Ganjam, as said by official sources.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was personally involved in this case; and thus External Affairs Minister S.M Krishna thanked him in getting the Italian hostages released. He congratulated the CM saying, “I value Naveen Patnaik’s efforts.”
Only after Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda announced in an audio message telling that Paolo would be set free via ‘democratic process’, only then he came out.
A copy has been received by Panda of the joint statement signed by the Odisha government and the Maoist-appointed mediators.
On March 14 of this year Paolo was kidnapped with another Italian, Claudio Colangelo from forest area of Kandhamal district. Recently Colangelo was released after captivation of only 11days.
But the Maoists have demanded that unless their 30 ultras are released, they won’t release the abducted BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka, including Chenda Bhusanam alias Ghasid, as told by Andhra- Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee of CPI (Maoists).
Bosusco told the reporters, “This is an unexpected experience of abduction. I’m quite happy being a free man now. Being so much tired I need some rest.”
In the meanwhile Hikaka was kidnapped by the Andhra-Odisha border special zonal committee from Koraput district on March 24.
After releasing Claudio Colangelo and Paolo Bosusco, hope the Maoists set free Jhina Hikaka too soon.
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