Canadian cyclist John Szlazak who has reportedly been abducted by villagers and Jan-militia of Sukma in South Bastar is yet to be rescued by police even after he was located some 24 hours back. “We are trying to get him,’’ said D.M. Awasthi, Director General, Naxal Operations of Chhattisgarh Police.
John Szlazak
Szlazak is an enthusiast adventurist out on a tourist visa to India. He was in South Bastar when he was stopped by the villagers at Chotekedwal. Local media reported that the villagers, who were unable to communicate in English, got suspicious of him. Fearing for his life, Szlazak pressed the secret “GPS enabled emergency button’’ of his bicycle which alerted the headquarters back in Canada through satellite link. The Canadian government in turn contacted Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj who asked Odisa government to locate the missing cyclist.
The 25-years-old Canadian national left on a cycle tour from Mumbai on March 14 after he reached India from Alberta. According to police sources, Szlazak, started his journey from Mumbai to various cities of Maharashtra and Telangana. He was last interviewed by some citizens of Kotaguedam in Telangana on way to Sukma.
In Sukma, he was detained by villagers due to his foreign origin. Unconfirmed sources say that Szlazak was later handed over to Naxal leader by the village militia called Jan-Militia and Sangam. His bags were also searched which had food, camera and some electronic gadgets.
Awasthi said, “We don’t have any information about his abduction. Had he been abducted by the Naxals, they should have come up with their demand by now.”
Another senior officer of Sukma police said, “The foreign national is safe. We have not met him, but have traced his whereabouts. He might have been detained by the villagers or the lower cadres of Maoists-Jan Militia.”
Meanwhile, fearing a Naxal ambush, Bastar police had decided not to send the security force to bring back the Canadian, sources said, and added that the police had engaged the local traders and businessmen to get him back.
Sukma has been in the eye of storm after the Maoists killed 12 security personnel a fortnight back. Sources said the police did not want to move in haste keeping in mind the previous experiences. They have deployed local journalists and traders to reach out to the village militia group, so that Szlazak can be freed safely.
Police said the real intention behind the visit of Szlazak would be known after his interrogation. He was not registered with any of the police station as mandated by the law of land.
Cops are hopeful that he might reach Bastar divisional headquarters in next 24 hours. However local media have reported that he has been kidnapped by Maoists after villagers took him deep inside jungles.
In December 2015, three students of Pune were abducted by Naxlas when they had gone on a trip to South Bastar. In 2012 Naxals abducted collector Alex Paul Menon. The latest case too has the potential of becoming a high-profile abduction as it involves a foreign national.
Szlazak’s disappearance has triggered panic in the government circles of Chhattisgarh. The authorities from the High Commission of Canada, Ministry of External Affairs are in constant touch with Chhattisgarh government.
