BARIPADA: Suspected naxalites kidnapped three persons, including a forest guard, from areas close to the similipal National park in Mayurbhanj on Saturday, police said. While the forest guard, identified as Prakash Mukhi, was picked up by the ultras at Baunsapala village, the other two, both members of the "Green Brigade" formed to protect the sanctuary, were taken away from Phulajhari village, police said.

Two other "Green Brigade" activists who were picked up managed to escape and walked a long distance to the forest range office at Bangiriposhi to inform of the incident.

Both the villages came under Bangiriposhi police station. The Naxalites also burnt down a forest beat house at Baunsapala village before leaving. The incident is believed to be in retaliation of the arrest of a tribal by forest personnel when he was collecting Mahua flower in the nearby area Friday.

Security personnel, belonging to the special operation group have rushed to the area. Public-police partnership appears to be working out for the sleuths quite well. Days after the locals in Borabanda caught the serial kidnapper, Sujatha leading to the rescue of five abducted children, residents of Bowenpally area on Saturday caught a drunkard, who kidnapped a toddler and was fleeing the locality.

According to Bowenpally sub-inspector, M B Sridhar, it all began around 9.30 am when the child - Mohammed Ghouse Pasha - was playing outside his house at LB Nagar locality in Bowenpally. Meanwhile, the accused - Shivaiah - who was high on drinks, spotted the boy. He abducted him and was fleeing the area when the locals got alerted by the boy's cries.

The next moment, they spotted Shivaiah taking away Ghouse hurriedly. The locals went after him, caught him and one of them called up the police. The police rushed to the spot and arrested Shivaiah. The boy was handed over to his father, Mohammed Majid Khan, who, till then was frantically searching for his son. Majid Khan is working for a goldsmith at Pot Market.

As the police began interrogating Shivaiah, he revealed that he was a painter by profession and habituated to drinks. ``I just spotted the boy and decided to kidnap him, there is no other motive,'' he told the police. The sleuths however believe that Shivaiah, aged around 30 abducted the boy to demand money from his parents. ``He is a habitual drunkard and stays along with his wife and relatives at Gangaputra Sangam area in Bowenpally. He is a vagabond and the motive for abduction appears to be money,'' the SI said. New Ind press