Updated on
Summary Maoists kidnap in India's eastern state of Orissa a legislator of provincial ruling Biju Janata Dal.
Maoist rebels kidnapped an Indian politician on Saturday, police said, a move that could upset talks over the release of two Italian hostages held by left-wing fighters in the same eastern state of Orissa.A large group of armed men stopped Orissa state lawmaker Jhina Hikaka, 37, as he was being driven through a hilly area 500 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar early on Saturday.A police officer, Suryamani Pradhan, told Reuters that the rebels took Hikaka but left the driver and the bodyguard, and they are waiting for further details.Pradhan said the rebels left a leaflet on Hikakas car listing the same 13 demands set for the release of Italians Paolo Bosusco and Claudio Colangelo, taken hostage last week in what is believed to be the first time the rebels have targeted foreigners.It was not clear if the politician was kidnapped by the same wing of the Maoists. Saturdays kidnapping took place in a different region of the state.Two rebel-appointed negotiators talked with government officials until late on Friday about the Italians, and talks were due to continue on Saturday.Lashing out at the provincial government, lawmaker of the Congress party, Pradeep Majhi held the government responsible for the surge in the cases of abduction in the province.
