Bhubaneswar, May 8 (IANS): The bullet-riddled body of a police officer was found in Odisha's Nuapada district shortly after he had been kidnapped by Maoist guerrillas Tuesday, official sources said.

Assistant Sub Inspector Kruparam Majhi had been kidnapped near Budhas village in Nuapada district, about 550 km from here, Deputy Inspector General of Police Soumendra Priyadarshi told IANS.

Just hours later, his body was found, riddled with bullets and his hands and legs tied.

He had been abducted from a spot about 15 km away from a paramilitary force camp, the official said.

The incident comes just days after Maoists released Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislator Jhina Hikaka, more than a month after they had kidnapped him.

Hikaka had been abducted from Laxmipur in Koraput March 24 and released on April 26. Before him, Maoists in the state had abducted two Italian nationals but subsequently released them.

In neighbouring Chhattisgarh, Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon was released May 3, after 12 days of captivity.

The 2006 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer had been abducted at gunpoint April 21 by rebels from a forested location, while he was interacting with tribals. The Maoists shot dead his two guards who resisted his abduction.