Maoists abduct 5 villagers

MALKANGIRI: Over 200 Maoists abducted five persons from the remote Potteru village of Kalimela block under Motu police limits late on Tuesday night.Of the five persons, one has been identified as Bandami Suba, working as a militia of the Maoists who reportedly wanted to surrender before the district police.SP Anirudha Singh confirmed the incident. Sources said the armed rebels divided themselves into two groups after arriving in the village on Tuesday midnight and held a public meeting.Eye-witnesses claimed that they castigated the State Government for not addressing people’s issues. Later, the Maoists entered the village and abducted Suresh Bandami, Bandami Nala, Madkami Jaga, Bandami Mukta and Bandami Suba at gun-point from their houses. The five include two ward members and two village headmen.While one group was involved in picking up the five villagers, the other one raided the house of a special police officer Rama Chandra Madkami who is now undergoing training in Angul and Madkami Masa and Madkami Rama in the same village.Though the whereabouts of the hostages was yet to be known, it is believed that they are likely to be produced in the ‘praja court’  to decide on the quantum of punishment. It is also believed that the decision of Bandami Suba to surrender was the reason behind his abduction.Meanwhile, police officials said border areas of the district had been sealed and combing operation started to nab the rebels and release the hostages.