Eight kidnapped labourers released in Bihar

Jamui: Three days after they were kidnapped by Maoists, eight labourers were Wednesday released by the ultra-left activists in Jamui district of Bihar, police said.

The labourers were released unconditionally near Channaber village under Khaira police station area of the district, Superintendent of Police Upendera Sharma told reporters. Security forces comprising personnel of CRPF, STF, SAP (Special Auxiliary Police) and Bihar police had launched a massive hunt for the kidnapped labourers and their release was a result of the pressure of the security forces operation, the SP claimed. The labourers were engaged in the construction of a road bridge on Nawada-Jamui road from where they were kidnapped on Saturday night. The bridge was being built by a private contractor after he was awarded the contract by Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam. The Maoists had raided the construction site at Badaldiah village, about 30 km from the district headquarters, under Khaira police station on Saturday night and kidnapped the eight labourers. The kidnapped hailed from local Badaldiah village and some others were from Dalsingsarai in Samastipur and Raghopur in Saran district. The labourers told reporters at Khaira police station that they were kept hostage in Tesri jungle in neighbouring Giridih district of Jharkhand. They had been blindfolded and were always on the move in the jungle. They also said that they had not been harassed and were fed properly. PTI