12 days Maoist custody did not reduce Colangelo’s love for India
Paulo Bosusco had wandered into the jungle by mistake and was caught by rebels
Visakhapatnam: Most people wouldn’t like to return to a place of which they have some very traumatic memories. But Italian Claudiou Colangelo, who was released after 12 days of captivity by the Maoists in their stronghold of Kandhamal district of Odisha in 2012, has returned to India and Bhubaneswar.
His mission is to get 21-year-old Salman Pradhan, a tribal youth suffering from spinal tuberculosis, treated. The Italian had met Salman in Daringibadi, a hill station in Odisha, the day before he was kidnapped.
He had asked Salman’s parents to allow their son to travel with him to Italy for treatment. But they had refused. Colangelo then decided to get Salman treated either at Bhubaneswar or in Visakhapatnam.
He went back to Italy after being released, but the thought of the suffering Salman haunted him. He corresponded with journalists in Odisha and managed to rope in the Rotary International’s Visakhapatnam chapter to get Salman treated.
His efforts paid off. Surgeons of the city-based ABC Hospitals with the support of Rotary International performed the surgery on Pradhan last year. One more surgery is still left.
Mr Colangelo returned to India a few days ago along with his family and friends and wanted to visit Salman Pradhan in his home town Daringibadi. But the police did not allow him to travel there, the meeting was arranged at Bhubaneshwar Airport.
“I love India and I wanted to bring change to the lives of tribals in the Daringibadi area,” said the 63-year-old Mr Colangelo who was in Visakhapatnam on Sunday when members of Rotary International and Visakhapatnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry felicitated him for his humanitarian work.
The Italian said he had been well treated during his captivity by the Maoists two years ago. What had worried him most was the food, which he was not used to and he lost five kilos. His captors took nothing from him.
“I had around 400 Euros in my backpack. I want to give it to them to show my appreciation, but the rebels didn’t touch the money; they said, “We have much more money than you,” Colangelo recalled.
He said he and his friend Paulo Bosusco had wandered into the jungle by mistake. After the first few days of their captivity, the tension eased.
“I am totally against killing. I tried to convince their commander S. Panda to release us. I strongly believe that Left wing extremists never ever win over the government,” he added.
Answering a query about how he contacted Salman Pradan after he went back to Italy, Mr Colangelo said, “I contacted some journalists who had helped in my release.
They helped me to track Salman. Everything has finished in nice way. So I can smile now. Salman is better now. His condition will improve. I plan to visit more tribal villages on my next trip.”
( Source : dc correspondent )
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