Cyber support for abducted Orissa collector

BHUBANESWAR - From colleagues to social activists to well-wishers, support poured in from all quarters on social networking website Facebook for the safe release of Orissa district collector R. Vineel Krishna, who was abducted by Maoists Wednesday.

Vineel, the district collector of Malkangiri, was abducted along with a junior engineer by Maoists in Chitrakonda area of the district Wednesday.

Vineel is an asset to the country. I salute your spirit and wish a safe homecoming. We all love you so much, read a message posted by Ashis Mohanty.

Another one said: Have faith in God and people’s good-wishes. You had a bad start; it will pass off soon.”

Facebook even has a group named “Support for Vineel” which already has over 1,000 members.

Hoping and praying is only a means of expressing solidarity. And there is no harm in accepting any divine intervention to all human efforts being taken, said a message, that came after some posts seeking divine intervention for his release.

An Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer posted: Dear Vineel, we are always proud of your pro-poor and pro-tribal approach. We have changed some of our guidelines to help forest right beneficiaries. god bless you all.”

The rebels have set conditions for Vineel’s release that include halting anti-Maoist operations in the area and the release of all Maoists arrested in the past. In a fresh wish list, they are now demanding the scrapping of pacts the government has signed with MNCs.

The 48-hour deadline ends Friday evening.

They abduct an officer who was honestly working for upliftment of marginalised sections of society. Where is intelligentsia and those who supports naxals now? Will they stand up and inform their ‘friends’ that they have picked up on a wrong one, asked the collector of a neighbouring district in his post.

Many also posted links of the websites which carried stories on the abducted officials to keep the group members updated on the incident.

Vineel too has a Facebook account which seems to be in operation as a message posted on his wall says, “Thanks for support”.

The 30-year-old IAS officer was going to inspect development projects apparently without any guards after attending a meeting in Badapada village early Wednesday when half a dozen armed Maoists surprised him and his aides.