While in an audio statement released on Sunday evening Maoists sought to justify their attack on collectors by saying they are leading violence against tribals,the village from where Sukma Collector Alex Paul Menon was abducted on Saturday refuted their claims. Menon was abducted from Manjipara village in Keralapal area when he was holding a meeting under Gram Suraj Abhiyan. Maoists,who were sitting among villagers,opened fire,killed his two security guards and took him away. Naxals did not do right. They should not have abducted him, Manjipara villagers today told The Indian Express. In a first for the village,electricity poles are being laid,Rs 1.5-crore scheme is afoot for developing the dryland into cashew cultivation hub,besides other initiatives all results of Menons efforts to transform the village he had adopted. Physically challenged Tati Ganga spoke of the special vehicle the administration recently provided him,pointing towards the forests in which the Maoists took him away. They narrated how Maoists suddenly sprang up from the crowd and began firing,threatening them. The several villagers The Indian Express spoke to echoed the same opinion the abduction was not justified. In Sukma,students and residents held a silent rally,appealing Maoists to release Collector Sir. They held banners,flags mentioning Asha Aunty hum aapke saath hain. An asthma patient,Menon is on regular medication,sometimes needs steroids,and has no medicine with him. His pregnant wife Asha Alex has appealed to Maoists to at least inform whether he is safe. A male voice in audio tape says he (collector) is safe. The Congress,meanwhile,slammed the Raman Singh government for forcing officers to visit disturbed areas without proper security in the name of Gram Suraj Abhiyan. A day before Menons abduction,Bijapur Collector Rajat Kumar had a narrow escape when his convoy was attacked and three persons were killed. State Congress president Nand Kumar Patel said: The CM is not sensitive to the safety of his officers. Raman forms panelRaipur: Following the demands of the Maoists,the Chhattisgarh government has formed a Cabinet sub-committee on states internal security to handle the crisis. In a decision late on Sunday night during a meeting of ministers,Chief Minister Raman Singh also decided to convene an all-party meet to discuss the crisis. While Raman Singh heads the sub-committee,Home Minister Nankiram Kanwar,Tribal Welfare Minister Kedar Kashyap,Irrigation Minister Ram Vichar Netam and PWD Minister Brijmohan Agrawal are the members. ENS
