As the hostage crisis involving an MLA in Odisha continues, Maoists today abducted a Collector in Sukma in Chhattisgarh. Two of his security guards were killed in the incident. The kidnapping took place at around 4-4:30 pm in a remote village where Alex Paul Menon was attending the Gram Suraj Abhiyaan - a state government-run programme meant to promote greater coordination and connect between the villagers and administration. Suddenly, a few people, who were Maoists and had mingled with the locals in the crowd, went up the dais and tried to forcibly take away Mr Menon. The two security guards accompanying him tried to stop the Maoists and were shot dead in the process. Meanwhile, another group of motorcycle-borne Maoists arrived at the spot and whisked away the 32-year-old collector.
