Responsibility of centre and state governments to free Alex, says his father

Chennai, Apr 22 (ANI): The father of the abducted Chattisgarh collector Alex Paul Menon, A Varadhas, on Sunday said it was now the responsibility of the central and state governments to secure the release of his son from the Maoists.

Varadhas said if such cases of abduction continue then no one would contribute their service from Tamil Nadu in the future.

"One of the best officers from Tamil Nadu has been abducted by the Maoists and they are playing with the issue, which is highly regrettable. It is an uncivilized act. Now, it is the duty and responsibility of both the central and the state governments to make efforts to free this officer," said Varadhas.

"And if this being a trend in the coming days, then I am sure that nobody is going to contribute their service from Tamil Nadu state," added Varadhas.

Earlier, Menon's wife had also appealed to the Maoists to release her husband unharmed, as he was not in good health and needed medication.

In an audacious daylight operation, the Maoists abducted Menon, collector of Sukma District, during the middle of a meeting with villagers.

Menon, an IAS officer of 2006 batch, was kidnapped from Majhipara village in Keralapal area of the Naxal-infected district.

The kidnapping comes even as uncertainty continues over the fate of Orissa's ruling BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka in neighbouring Odisha who was abducted by the Maoists about a month ago.

Menon, 32, is the first collector of Sukma after it was carved out of Dantewada district as a new district, and was known to be pro-active in undertaking development work in the backward region. (ANI)