Released hostage meets Italian consul general

Hours after being released by Maoists, Italian tourist Claudio Colangelo arrived in Bhubaneswar on Sunday and met his country's Consul General Joel Melchiori.

Accompanied by security personnel, 61-year-old Colangelo was brought to the state capital by road from Sorada in Ganjam district, after being released at a place near Daringbadi in Kandhamal district.

Colangelo met Italian media personnel at the hotel while Indian journalists were not allowed inside to have an interaction with him.

"He was taken to a luxury hotel where the consul general had been waiting for his return," a senior police officer said, adding that the Italian national was likely to meet other state government officials later.

Colangelo was also likely to undertake a brief visit to Puri, from where he had left for a trekking expedition to tribal-dominated Kandhamal district, along with Paolo Bosusco.

While Colangelo was freed on Sunday morning, his compatriot Paolo was still held captive by the Maoists.

Melchiori had been camping at the state capital ever since the news of Italian nationals taken hostage by the members of the outlawed Communist Party of India -Maoist came to the fore. The duo was abducted by the Maoists from Ganjam-Kandhamal district border on March 14.