Bhubaneswar: Maoists have kidnapped four persons, including a gram rakkhi (village policeman) in Kalahandi district on Friday.

This comes on a day when chief minister Naveen Patnaik claimed in the Assembly that there had been a progressive decline in Maoist violence in Odisha.

The incident took place at Lakhapadar village of Trilocahnpur panchayat in Bijepur police station on Friday. Around 10 to 12 armed Maoists stormed into the village in the afternoon and took away four persons at gunpoint. The kidnapped persons are Babula Nayak, Raju Nayak, Kshetra Harijana (a gram rakkhi or village policeman) and Bishikeshan Harijana (a former gram rakkhi).

Deputy inspector general of police, south-western range, S. Shyni confirmed the kidnap. The police have launched an operation to rescue them. However, no breakthrough has yet been made.

Though the exact reason behind the abductions is not yet known, it is suspected that the rebels might have kidnapped them believing them to be police informers. Security forces - including police, special operations group and district volunteer force - have been deployed for intense combing in the area.

Kalahandi police superintendent Sandeep Madkar said that he was suspecting that rebels of Bansadhara, Nagabali and Ghumsur division were behind the abduction.

"The Banshadhara, Nagavali and Ghumusar division of the Maoists' outfit may be behind the abduction as they are active in the area. The security forces, who are camping in Bijepur, have been alerted while combing operation is also going on," he said.

In February, a group of suspected Maoists had killed contractor Shiba Shankar Dash alias Tunu in this area. They killed Das when he had gone to a site near Paji Bahali in Bijepur police station area to supervise development work and distribute wages among labourers. He was executing a road construction project from Bijepur to Pajibahali. The area comes under Niyamgiri hills.

In the Assembly, Naveen said on Friday: "The number of civilian killings by the Maoists has come down." He was making a statement on an adjournment motion on crimes against women and deteriorating law and order.

Naveen also spoke about the government being serious in containing crimes against women.

"A total number of 943 cases of crimes against women have been included under red-flag category. Odisha has topped nationally in its initiative in curbing woman trafficking," said Naveen.

He said the police had been instructed to take strong and adequate legal action in offences against women and girls - such as molestation, eve-teasing, acid attack, sexual harassment, voyeurism and staking.

Stating that Odisha was committed to maintain peace and harmony and to solve the burning issues of the people with "collective efforts, wisdom and vision", Naveen asked the members of the Assembly to rise above politics and focus on inclusive growth of the people of the state.

Initiating the decision, Opposition chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati had said earlier in the day: "The crimes against women have gone up in the state. Stringent action should be taken against those who are indulging in such crimes."

(additional reporting by Sudeep Kumar Guru)