The Hindu : National : Search continuing for kidnapped driver, says Afghan official

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Wednesday, Nov 23, 2005

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Search continuing for kidnapped driver, says Afghan official

Diplomatic Correspondent

Afghan security personnel sent to Washir and Golistan provinces

NEW DELHI : "We are not in a position to confirm the claims made by the Taliban about the Indian driver's killing," Zia Mojadedi, who deals with internal affairs in Afghanistan's National Security Council (NSC), said by telephone from Kabul late on Tuesday night.

According to him, there was no exact information about the fate of Ramankutty Maniappan, a driver with the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) who was kidnapped by the Taliban on Saturday while working on the Zaranj-Delaram road.

Mr. Mojadedi told The Hindu that 70to75 police personnel had fanned out to Washir (Helmand province) and Golistan (Farah province) to locate and free Mr. Maniappan.

The Afghan authorities had received contrary information about where the BRO employee may have been taken, and consequently, security personnel were sent to both Washir and Golistan.

"Our efforts to locate the Indian driver are continuing," the top official dealing with security matters said.

Mr. Mojadedi said Afghan President Hamid Karzai had issued instructions to make every effort to locate Mr. Maniappan.

"We are doing everything in our power to locate him," Mr. Mojadedi said. "Everyone here is very concerned about his [Mr. Maniappan's] fate."

No information: Collector

Allapuzha Staff Reporter writes:

A large number of people have gathered at the Chingoli home of Mr. Maniappan following some reports that he had been killed on Tuesday evening.

District Collector K.R. Muraleedharan said the Government had not received any information in this regard.

The authorities believed that Mr. Maniappan was still alive.

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