Maoists abduct three railway employees in Jharkhand

Ranchi, May 13 (IANS) Maoist rebels abducted three railway employees from Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district, police said Wednesday.

Around 30 Maoist guerrillas raided the Hendegiri railway station in Hazaribagh, around 140 km from state capital Ranchi, Tuesday night and abducted six employees at gun point.

Of the six employees, three were released later, a police officer said.

Three employees who are held hostage by the Maoist rebels are station manager of Hendegiri Lalii Prasad and deputy station managers Anil Kumar and Sunil Tete.

An operation has been launched to rescue the abducted employees, the police officer said.

Last year, Maoist rebels abducted four railway employees from Macluskiganj railway station. They were released after four days.

Maoist rebels are active in 18 of the 24 districts of Jharkhand. Nearly 1,500 people have been killed in Maoist-related violence during the last eight years.