Italian hostage crisis: Third round of talks today

Italian hostage crisis: Third round of talks today

Bhubaneswar: The abduction of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA Jhina Hikaka has come just days after two Italians were taken hostage by Maoists in Odisha. Negotiations have yielded no concrete results yet, with the government insisting that Naxals have to stop violence first if they want their demands met.



One of the Italian hostages, Bosusco Paolo, wrote a letter to his family, which was sent by the Naxals along with one of the released Indian hostages.

In the emotional letter to his family back home in Italy, Paulo wrote, "I am kidnapped by an extremist group here and hope this will soon. If something goes horribly wrong with me, I just want to tell that I love you all."

And that has not been the only emotional message in the ongoing hostage crisis in Odisha.

Meanwhile, Sulachana Nayak, a 45-year-old woman who lost her husband five years ago when he was ed by Maoists, has pleaded that the negotiators should not insist on releasing those who ed him.

Her plea now is that negotiators should not insist on releasing those who ed him.

"I only want to go back to my village and stay peacefully. I plead the Naxals that they should not harm my family any more," said Sulachana.

In the last nine days of hostage crisis, Naxals reportedly ed two policemen in a blast in Koraput district and shot dead a sub inspector in Malkangiri district, despite Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda announcing a ceasefire.

In response, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik sent a tough message.

"For a peaceful atmosphere to facilitate negotiations, the Maoists should desist from continuous violence," said Patnaik.

Already two rounds of negotiations have been held, but the two Italians remain in captivity. A third round s on Saturday afternoon.

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