New Delhi/Rome (dpa) – One of two Italians abducted by Maoist rebels in the eastern Indian state of Orissa was released Sunday, the Italian Foreign Ministry confirmed. Tourist Claudio Colangelo, 61, was released to a correspondent of NDTV, the broadcaster reported. Colangelo was captured by the rebels last week along with Paolo Bosusco, 54, who has been living in India for several years. Talks on the release of the Italians between government officials and negotiators chosen by the rebels had broken down Saturday after a separate rebel group abducted a local politician. The negotiators and Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had appealed to the Maoists to release the Italians unconditionally. The Italians were the first foreign nationals to be abducted by India's Maoist rebels. The Maoists say they are fighting for the rights of tribal, landless and poor people in some of the country's most-impoverished regions. More than one-third of India's 626 administrative districts are affected by the insurgency. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/3Kh8Y Tags: India, Italy, Kidnapping, Maoists, Orissa Section: Latest News, South Asia, Western Europe
