Bhubaneswar, Mar 18 (IANS): Maoists Sunday claimed to have abducted two Italian tourists in Odisha, a local television channel report said. Police are verifying if the incident is true.

The Maoists, in an audio message sent to a local reporter in the wee hours of Sunday, said the tourists were kidnapped at the border of Ganjam and communally sensitive Kandhamal district.

A Maoist calling himself Sabyasachi Panda said, "We have imprisoned two Italian tourists." He said the tourists would be released only after the government stopped anti-rebel operations and initiated dialogue with them.

"If the government wants to see them free, it should halt combing operations. We also want the government to fulfil a charter of 13 demands," the rebel leader said without elaborating the details.

Kandhamal District collector Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, however, said the local administration or police have not received any such information.

Foreigners travelling to the district are supposed to inform police about their visit. However in this case there is no information with police, Patil told IANS.

Acccording to a local television channel report, both the tourists were men and were picked up by the rebels while roaming inside the forest taking photographs of some tribal women.

If the incident turns out to be true, then it will be the first case of abduction of a foreigner by the rebels in the state.

Maoists are active in more then half of the state's 30 districts and the district of Kandhamal is considered as their strong hold.