Patna, Apr 25 (IANS): Maoist guerrillas abducted five labourers engaged in road construction in Bihar late Wednesday, but released three of them early Thursday, police said.
Nearly 40 armed rebels abducted the labourers from Basaia area of Jamui district, some 200 km from here, a police official said, adding that an operation has been launched to rescue the kidnapped labourers from Maoists.
Police suspect that the Maoists chose to abduct the workers after the construction company they were working with refused to pay extortion money to the rebels.
Earlier, the rebels had abducted some labourers of the same construction company in Jamui but later released them unharmed.
Jamui is considered a rebel stronghold.