BHUBANESWAR: Italian tourist guide Paolo Bosusco’s 29-day ordeal ended on Wednesday night when the Odisha State Organising Committee of CPI (Maoist) freed him at a forest near Sorada in Ganjam-Kandhamal border. Bringing an end to the high-profile abduction, the Maoist operatives handed him over to Dandapani Mohanty, one of the two interlocutors who have been negotiating with the Odisha Government for release of the two Italian nationals, in the dead of the night.Paolo was then driven to Bhubaneswar where he was handed over to Italian Ambassador Giacomo Sanfelice di Monteforte and Consul-General Joel Melchiori who have been camping in the State Capital for last several days. He was given a medical checkup before being flown to Delhi in an evening flight.On March 14, Paolo and holidaymaker Claudio Colangelo were abducted by the Maoists, owing allegiance to the Odisha State Committee, from near Kandhamal-Ganjam border. As a rattled State Government began negotiations seeking freedom of the two foreigners, Claudio was set free on March 25 morning, a day after another group of Maoists abducted a ruling party MLA Jhina Hikaka in Koraput district.Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said he was relieved and happy whereas the Italian Ambassador expressed his gratitude for the assistance and cooperation extended for the safe release of the Italian national.On April 7, the two Maoist interlocutors had signed a joint press statement with the State Government where both sides had agreed on certain demands, including release of five prisoners, among the 13 demands. Since it could not reach the Maoists in time, Mohanty himself proceeded to Sorada from where he was led to Panda inside the forests though he maintained that he went to Raikia in Kandhamal. “I held a two hours meeting with Panda. He was concerned that Government wants to bail out the prisoners whereas the original demand was to drop charges against them, including Arati Majhi and Gananath Patra,” he said.At about 2 am on Thursday morning, Paolo was handed over to Mohanty at Salimpeta village under Asurabandha GP in presence of some journalists who then trekked about 15 km to a road point, near Sorada, where they reached by 5 am. From there, he was asked to proceed to Bhubaneswar.Accompanied by Mohanty, Paolo reached Bhubaneswar at about 10.30 am and was taken straight to State Guest House where the Italian diplomats met him and held discussions. Paolo, who looked frail, said he was feeling happy to have been free. “I will always have a special love for Odisha and its people,” he said before being whisked away amidst tight security.Meanwhile, the crisis was far from over for the State Government as Hikaka continued to be held captive by the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee of the CPI (Maoist). There has been no response from the group which had demanded the release of 30 rebels, including Chhenda Bhushanam, a hardcore Maoist charged with killing over 50 policemen. Naveen, while welcoming Paolo’s release, again issued an appeal today to the Maoists. “I appeal the Maoists to release our young tribal MLA immediately...his entire family is waiting for him,” he said.
Comments
0 comment