The state police conducted a search operation in certain forest areas adjoining Andhra Pradesh on Sunday, a day after Maoists kidnapped the District Collector of Sukma, Alex Paul Menon, in Chhattisgarh.
However, according to police officials posted in the district, the abducted collector disappeared without a trace and they have no clue where the ultras have kept the 32-year-old collector as hostage.
Meanwhile, Asha Memon, wife of the collector appealed to the kidnappers to release her husband on humanitarian grounds.
Appealing to the Maoists for Memon's safe release, Asha told media that her husband, an asthmatic patient, had only two doses of medicine with him, which was not sufficient to cope with any emergency.
"He has done so much for the district's development. I only request that they should release my husband as soon as possible," she told NDTV.
It also reported that the though the collector was aware of the threat of possible kidnap of officials in the region, it did not deter him from visiting and meeting local people in the district.
Speaking to the state Chief Minister, the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has asked for a detailed report on the collector's abduction and has also assured all possible help.
Meanwhile, the locals have called for a bandh today in Sukma district to protest the abduction of Menon by the Maoists.
The Ultras had abducted Menon from Majhipara village in one of the Naxal-infested districts on Saturday at around 4.30 p.m., when he was interacting with a group of villagers for Gram Suraj Abhiyaan - a state government-run programme.
According to the report, the Maoists who were already present there, disguised as villagers, suddenly attacked the collector, killing his two security officers.
Earlier, in a similar incident, the Maoist had abducted the MLA of Laxmipur, Jhina Hikaka, from Koraput district in Odisha, around 200 km from the place where the collector was abducted on Saturday.
