Maoists on Monday kidnapped a panchayat extension officer and five others during a Palli Sabha meeting on Monday at Patkonda revenue village under Kalimela block. The six were released two hours later.
About 30 armed Maoists reached the spot around 12.30 pm where six government officials were holding the meeting with some villagers.
They allegedly threatened the gathering and asked the officers why were they holding the meeting under Gram Sabha Shasktikaran programme in spite of their prior warning against such meetings. They forcibly took all the six officers to a nearby forest.
But, after two hours the ultras released all the officers after handing them over their nine-point charter of demands to be given to the district administration.
The demands include construction of an 8-km-long Manamukunda-Karkatpalli canal for irrigation purposes, withdrawal of security forces from the area, loans to the farmers and release of innocent tribals who have been arrested on charges of supporting the Maoists.