As Modi visits Chhattisgarh, Naxals take 400 people hostage

Just around 80 kilometers away from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Chhattisgarh, over 400 people have been taken hostage in Marenga village of the state.

However, police officials have denied any hostage crisis in the area. "There is no hostage like situation. Naxals are only meeting the villagers," says Superintendent of police Sukma D Sharavan.

This 'meeting' has been going on since last night. No demands have been made from the Naxals yet. It is also being said that the Naxals do not want the villagers to attend Modi's rally and are thus holding them hostage.

During his visit, Modi is scheduled to inaugurate two projects in Dantewada in Chhattisgarh including a steel plant in Dil-mili village. The other project is the second phase of a 140 km railway line from Raigarh to Jagdalpur. Congress has been protesting against Modi's visit.