Five private mining firm employees kidnapped by Maoists; 1 released

RAIPUR: Five employees of a private mining company were today kidnapped by Maoists from an iron ore reserve in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Kanker district, police said.

However, one of them was later released, they said. "Five employees of Neco Jayaswal Company were abducted this morning from Chargaon iron ore mines under Siksod police station limits," Kanker Superintendent of Police Jitendra Singh Meena told PTI over phone.

"Of them, geologist S K Pal was later released while four others are still in captivity of the ultras," he said.

As per information, a group of 20-30 armed rebels stormed Chargaon iron ore reserve where Neco Jayaswal is carrying out mining work, and took away five employees from there, he said.

Soon after getting news of the incident, security forces were mobilised in the region, which is around 200 kms away from the state capital, to rescue the abducted employees, he said, adding that efforts are on to trace them.