RAIPUR: Maoists have kidnapped an engineer and two other workers engaged in construction of a bridge. The engineer’s wife has reached the conflict zone in Bastar with their two daughters and appealed to the rebels to set her husband free.
Ashok Pawar and two other workers are engaged with a private firm constructing the bridge over Indravati river to connect Bijapur in Chhattisgarh with Maharashtra. They were abducted on Friday morning despite the presence of security forces in the region.
According to Bijapur police, the engineer was kidnapped when he was carrying out a technical examination of the under-construction bridge. He was taken inside the forest. His wife Sonali has made an emotional appeal to the Maoists, saying he is only breadwinner of the family.
“I have two young daughters. It’s my earnest plea to kindly release my husband. If he has committed anything wrong, please forgive and don’t harm him. We will leave this place after he is released,” she said.
Two months ago, the cadres had abducted Ajay Roshan Lakra, a sub-engineer engaged with road construction under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in Bijapur. He was released after 10 days.
Bastar police officials said that in such situations, they usually avoid directly intervention, fearing adverse consequences. Bijapur is among the seven Maoist affected districts in south Chhattisgarh.