Abducted Odisha police officer shot dead by Naxals

Abducted Odisha police officer shot dead by Naxals Bhubaneswar: Abducted police officer Krupa Ram Majhi has been shot dead by suspected Naxals in Nuapada in Odisha. The police recovered Majhi's body from Nuapada. A team of 10 Maoists had abducted the ASI and had let off the constable accompanying him on Tuesday. ASI Krupa Ram Majhi of the Dharambandha Police Station was abducted by suspected Naxals in Nuapada on Tuesday in retaliation to a combing operation that was...
04:02 PM, May 08, 2012

Odisha: Naxals strike again, abduct police official

Odisha: Naxals strike again, abduct police official Bhubaneswar: A police official has been abducted by suspected Naxals in Odisha. ASI Krupa Ram Majhi of the Dharambandha Police Station has been abducted by suspected Naxals in Nuapada. Reports say 10 Naxals abducted the ASI and let off the constable accompanying him. This is the third hostage crisis in Odisha in the past two months. Earlier BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka was released on April 26 after being in the...
02:20 PM, May 08, 2012

Al-Qaeda releases video of American hostage

Al-Qaeda releases video of American hostage Washington: In a video released by al-Qaeda, American hostage Warren Weinstein said he will be killed unless US President Barack Obama agrees to the militant group's demands. "My life is in your hands, Mr President," Weinstein said in the video. "If you accept the demands, I live; if you don't accept the demands, then I die." Weinstein was abducted in August 2011 in Lahore, Pakistan, after gunmen tricked his guards...
10:36 AM, May 07, 2012

Government plans hostage policy for Naxals

Government plans hostage policy for Naxals New Delhi: The Centre is planning to seek the cooperation of states in formulating a national policy to deal with hostage crisis in the backdrop of Maoists taking hostages in Odisha and Chhattisgarh and Chief Minister Raman Singh demanding such a policy. The Home Ministry is planning to write all states to put forward their views on formulating a hostage policy and Standard Operating Procedures to deal with any hostage...
03:28 AM, May 05, 2012
Watch: Naveen Patnaik on President poll

Watch: Naveen Patnaik on President poll

Speaking to Karan Thapar on Devil's Advocate, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik that his party Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is unlikely to support Congress's candidate for the Presidential poll. ...
09:05 PM, May 04, 2012

Sukma Collector released: How the day unfolded

Sukma Collector released: How the day unfolded Chintalnar: Sukma District collector Alex Paul Menon has been freed by Naxals after 12 days in captivity. But it is still not clear as to what deal was struck between the the Chhattisgarh government and the Naxals for his release. Menon looked tired as he spoke to the media, which had been waiting for hours at Chintalnar on Thursday. "I thank all the people, the government, my family and friends...
11:25 PM, May 03, 2012

12-day ordeal ends as Naxals free IAS officer

12-day ordeal ends as Naxals free IAS officer Chintalnar: The District Collector of Sukma, Alex Paul Menon, was released after 12 days on Thursday evening amid confusion and fading light. Alex Paul Menon was accompanied by the Naxal-appointed mediator. BD Sharma. He was calm and composed as he walked up to speak to the media. The District Collector thanked everyone who stood by him, from the government to his family and the mediators. Crucially he also said that...
10:47 PM, May 03, 2012

Alex Paul Menon: a Rajinikanth fan

Alex Paul Menon: a Rajinikanth fan New Delhi: Alex Paul Menon is a 2006 batch IAS officer. Menon, who was abducted on April 21 by the Maoists while attending a villagers' meet, was released on May 3. Menon is also a fan of superstar Rajinikanth. Menon is the first collector to have been abducted by the Maoists in Chhattisgarh. The 32-year-old is an active blogger and Twitter user. In his last tweet before abduction, Menon said,...
04:05 PM, May 03, 2012

Oil tanker with Indians on board hijacked

Oil tanker with Indians on board hijacked Panama: A Panama-flagged merchant oil tanker, the BW Rhine, has been hijacked. Indian sailors are among the 21-member crew that has been taken hostage. The incident occurred off the east coast of Africa on April 28. The exact number of Indians on board is, however, not known as of now. Sources in the DG Shipping have called it a looting incident on the high seas. They are monitoring the situation....
09:56 AM, May 03, 2012

Maoists to free abducted collector on May 3

Maoists to free abducted collector on May 3 Sukma: Abducted Sukma collector and IAS officer Alex Paul Menon will be released on May 3, the Maoists told BBC on Tuesday. The Maoists said Menon will be released in front of the public in Tadhmetha. Menon has been in the custody of the Maoists for the past ten days. Reacting to the reports N Brajendra Kumar, Principal Secretary at the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister's Office, said, "We are happy to...
10:18 PM, May 01, 2012

NCTC will help deal with hostage situation: PC

NCTC will help deal with hostage situation: PC New Delhi: Faced with frequent incidents of abduction, the Centre on Monday said if the controversial National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) comes into existence, it would help in the long run to deal with hostage situations in a better way. Home Minister P Chidambaram said he was not sure whether NCTC would come up or not and if it comes up, then the proposed anti-terror body should be allowed to...
05:44 PM, Apr 30, 2012

IAS abduction enters day 9, no end to crisis

IAS abduction enters day 9, no end to crisis Raipur: The hostage crisis in Chhattisgarh entered its ninth day on Monday as Sukma District Collector Alex Paul Menon continued to remain in the captivity of the Naxals. Meanwhile, after days of drama over the name of the mediators, the two Naxal-appointed interlocutors on Sunday returned after holding the first round of talks with the Maoists. Following the talks, the mediators said that the abducted IAS officer, who is an...
08:01 AM, Apr 30, 2012

Maoists will release audio tape over resignation: Hikaka

Maoists will release audio tape over resignation: Hikaka Bhubaneswar/Koraput: Three days after being freed by Maoists, Odisha MLA Jhina Hikaka on Sunday said the ultras are likely to release a fresh audio message which could clear the air over his possible resignation as a legislator. "A new audio tape is likely to be released by the Maoists shortly. It will remove all confusion relating to my resignation. Everything will be clear," the 37-year-old ruling BJD MLA from Laxmipur,...
04:04 AM, Apr 30, 2012

IAS abduction: hostage crisis enters day eight

IAS abduction: hostage crisis enters day eight New Delhi: It's been eight days since Sukma collector Alex Paul Menon was taken hostage by the Naxals. Two Naxal-appointed interloctors reached the rebel hideout, deep inside the Bastar forests for another round of talks but failed to achieve any breakthrough to secure Menon's release. The Naxals want 17 jailed cadres to be freed in exchange for Menon. Chief Minister Raman Singh has said their demands will be considered only...
06:32 AM, Apr 29, 2012

IAS abduction: Mediators, Naxals to continue talks

IAS abduction: Mediators, Naxals to continue talks New Delhi: Mediators former IAS officer and social activist BD Sharma and Professor Hargopal left for Chintalnar in Chhattisgarh on Saturday morning to meet the Maoist abductors of Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon. It has been a week since the Menon was abducted by the Naxals. The mediators have had several rounds of talks in two days but the deadlock continues. The Naxals have refused to extend the deadline...
08:59 AM, Apr 28, 2012
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