[1]The fate of two Italians taken hostage by Maoists in Odisha's Kandhamal district remained unknown on Monday 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.
"A pamphlet in the name of ‘Sunil’, Secretary of Odisha State Organising Committee of CPI (Maoist), containing 13 their demands has been received and is being examined", Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told the assembly.
Stating the Maoists have not yet nominated their representatives to discuss the matter on their behalf with the government, Patnaik said, "When such a communication is received, further steps will be taken."
Making a fresh appeal to the Maoists to release the hostages, the chief minister 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.
Paolo Bosusco has been staying in India for the last 19 years in Puri and was running a travel agency named 'Odisha Adventurous Trekking' which has been organising trips to different parts of the state for tourists, while Colangelo was a tourist from Italy, Patnaik added.
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[1] http://archive.asianage.com/italy7jpgcropdisplayjpg-346