Odisha MLA abducted,, CM called a high-level meeting today

 Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday called a high-level meet following the abduction of a party MLA by Maoists.

Jhina Hikaka, a tribal BJD legislator from Laxmipur, was abducted in Koraput district in the early hours of Saturday, police said.

Hikaka was returning home from Koraput when more than 50 armed rebels stopped his vehicle near Toyaput, Koraput Superintendent of Police Avinash Kumar said.

While the personal security officer (PSO) and driver of the MLA were allowed to leave, Hikaka was taken away into the nearby forest, about 40 km from here by the ultras at gunpoint, he said.

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

In New Delhi, the Home Ministry sources said the state government had been tipped-off about a possible high-level abduction by the Maoists.

The latest kidnapping came 10 days after the Maoists took two Italians hostage from Kandhamal district on March 14 and talks were in progress between rebel-nominated negotiators and government representatives to resolve the crisis.

The incident happened hours after CM Patnaik appealed to the rebels to desist from violence.

Meanwhile, Maoist negotiators engaged to end the Italian hostage crisis - BD Sharma and Dandapani Mohanty – have appealed to the Maoists to release the legislator without delay.

Spiritual Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Govt schools create Naxals

At a time when both the Centre and the Odisha government is trying hard to resolve the Italian hostage crisis, spiritual guru and the Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has labeled the government schools as the breeding grounds for the Naxals.

Holding the uncaring attitude and mismanagement of the government-run schools responsible for turning out a large number of home-grown rebels, the spiritual guru even advised the government that it should not run any school and should depute the responsibility to some other institution or system.

"It's often seen that boys from government schools are into Naxalism and violence. Those from the private education system are not into these things. They move ahead with an ideal (adarsh) and teachers are responsible for it," he was quoted as saying by media reports on Wednesday.

The rather bold statement made by Sri Sri, who is largely seen as a non-controversial and highly revered figure in the country, is likely to baffle both the Centre and the Odisha government, which is trying hard to end the Italian hostage crisis at the earlist.

His remarks come nearly a week after two Italians - Puri-based tour operator Paolo Bosusco and tourist Claudio Colangelo - were abducted while trekking in Kandhamal district on March 14.

The two men had driven down from Puri and entered a forested area in spite of being warned by the Daringibadi police about the presence of Maoists.

A driver and cook who were accompanying them and their vehicle were released by the Maoists subsequently.