Missing Canadian national found after being released by Maoists

Biswajeet Swain Published On : Mar 29, 2017 at 5:28 PM

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Mar 29:

Canadian national John Szlazak, who had gone missing from Singamadugu forest in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh bordering Odisha since Monday evening, was found today after being released by Maoists, informed a police official.

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“John was released by Maoists and is being brought to Polampaalli by some teachers and local journalists, who were sent by police inside the forest this morning to seek his release and they found him in Amarpalli forest,” said special director general (anti-Naxal operations) DM Awasthi.

John was in the custody of sangham sadasyas (junior Maoist cadres), who were waiting for their senior leaders to question him as they were unable to understand his language, reports said.

“The Maoists released him after questioning,” Awasthi said.

The foreigner had come to Chhattisgarh from Mumbai on March 14 as a part of his India tour on bicycle.

Following reports of abduction, Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj had sought a report from Odisha government regarding the incident.