Concerned over the abduction of of Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon by the Maoists, Centre has assured all help to Chhattisgarh.
Union Home Secretary RK Singh assured full support of the Centre to get the abducted officer released from the Maoists. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi he said, “We are in touch with the state government. Whatever support they ask from us, we will give”. Singh also spoke to state Chief Secretary and offered to send additional central forces if required.
Home Minister P Chidambaram. Reuters
Home Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday told Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh that the central government was ready to offer any assistance needed to secure the release of the 32-year-old IAS officer.
The Chhattisgarh government has decided to appoint a sub-committee headed by Chief Minister Raman Singh to respond to the abduction of Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon. The committee will comprise State home minister Nanki Ram Kanwar, Tribal Welfare minister Kedar Kashyap, Water Resources minister Ramvichar Netam and School Education minister Brijmohan Agrawal.
Officials told PTI that the sub-committee would keep a tab on all the matters pertaining to the issue.
The Centre is worried over the spurt in incidents of abduction as the Maoists are trying to get their jailed colleagues released in exchange for freeing the hostages.
Sources said the Home Ministry recently shared an intelligence input with the Naxal affected states that the extremists were planning to abduct prominent persons and asked them to take all precautions to foil such attempts.
Menon’s kidnapping came at a time when neighbouring Odisha government was struggling to secure the release of ruling BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka from the Naxal custody.
The Maoists had succeeded in freeing a few jailed colleagues in Odisha earlier after they kidnapped two Italians.
With inputs from PTI
