Orissa halts anti-Naxal operations after abduction

In perhaps the first-ever abduction of an IAS officer by Maoists, Malkangiri district collector R V Krishna was kidnapped after which Orissa government conceded one of the two demands by Naxals by halting combing operations across the state. Krishna, 30 , a 2005-batch IAS officer, was kidnapped last evening by a group of 50 Maoists, officials said on Thursday.

The Naxals have set a two-day deadline for meeting their demands — halt to anti-Naxal operations and freeing of jailed compatriots. Krishna was on a visit to the remote Chitrakonda area, a Maoist stronghold about 85 km from Malkangiri.