Malkangiri, Jan 14: Hours after the report of Maoists abducting five poll officials in the cut-off areas of Chitrakonda in the district, the police confirmed that the report was a rumour and fake and no officials were abducted.
There had been a rumour that as the state is getting ready for panchayat elections next month, five persons including four poll officials were on Friday abducted by suspected Maoists from the Chitrakonda cut-off area of the district, as they could not be traced during the process of filing nomination papers for the upcoming elections. The officials had been identified as Purusottam Behera, Hrushikesh Naik, Praveen Soren and Kaminikant Se, along with, Jodamba village head Laxman Sisa’s son Manoranjan Sisa. Another poll official, Lingaraj Majhi, who was suspected to have been kidnapped, however, managed to give a slip to the rebels. It was said that he had reached the Kudumulugumma block office to meet the BDO. Majhi was not in the office when the ultras stormed the local poll office. He came to know from the locals about the Maoists’ search for him and escaped from the village. Meanwhile, family of the victims out of fear had also appealed to the Maoists to free them as they were on government duty. Expressing concern over the matter Asit Tripathy, Principal Secretary of the Home department said the information is yet to be confirmed from district police. In a related development, the State Election Commission has sought a report from Malkangiri collector on the matter.
The red rebels had also put up posters in Kudumuluguma village of the district asking locals to refrain from ensuing panchayat polls. The Maoists have warned the tribal of Malkangiri to abstain from the poll.
