Wife of abducted BJD MLA appeals to Maoists to release her husband

Laxmipur (Orissa), Mar 25 (ANI): The wife of abducted Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislator Jhina Hikaka, has appealed to the Maoists to release her husband unharmed.

Hikaka's wife, Kaushlya Majhi, said the Maoists had no reason to kidnap her husband, as he is tribal leader and has initiated many development works in the area.

"Chief Minister has sent two ministers to our place; they came to give us moral support. They said that the government is trying its best for the release of the legislator. My husband is a tribal leader and as a leader he has done many things for the development of the people. As a wife, I am the witness of his good deeds. So there is no reason for the Maoists to kidnap him on any ground. I still hope and appeal to the Maoist to release my husband without harming him. I will be grateful to them," said Majhi.

Earlier, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had rushed the state Revenue and Disaster Management Minister S N Patro, and ST and SC Development Minister Lal Bihari Himirika, to Laxmipur area to meet Hikaka's family members.

A tribal MLA of the ruling BJD in Orissa, Jinha Hikaka, was abducted by Maoists in Koraput district early on Saturday morning.

Police said that Hikaka, a legislator from Laxmipur, was returning home from Koraput when more than 50 armed rebels stopped his vehicle near Toyaput.

Media quoted Koraput Superintendent of Police Avinash Kumar, as saying that at the time of his kidnapping, Hikaka was accompanied by a Personal Security Officer (PSO) and a driver, who were allowed to leave.

Hikaka was taken into a nearby forest located about 40 kilometeres from Koraput by the ultras at gunpoint, he said.

The PSO and driver informed the Laxmipur police station about the incident, Kumar said, adding that steps have been initiated to ascertain the whereabouts of the legislator.

The abduction comes ten days after the Maoists took two Italians hostage from Kandhamal district on March 14. (ANI)