Chennai, Apr23 - MDMK Leader Vaiko today appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take "appropriate steps" for release of Sukma District Collector Alex Paul Menon who was abducted by Naxals.

"The abduction has sent shockwaves throughout the country. The people of Tamil Nadu are gravely concerned about the safety of Alex Paul Menon", Vaiko said in a letter to Singh.

He said Menon's wife was in the 'family way' and the abduction has shattered the entire family. CPI-M's Tamil Nadu unit requested the Centre and Chhattisgarh Governments to take immediate and concerted efforts to get the abducted Collector freed.

Without any delay, the Centre, with the assistance of the State government, should take all steps to free the Collector from captivity, state unit secretary, G Ramakrishnan told reporters at Coimbatore. PTI