AlHijjah 9, 1432, Nov 5, 2011, SPA -- India's Maoist rebels Saturday released 15 workers of a private construction firm, who were held hostage for five days, according to news reports, according to dpa. More than 50 rebels stormed the office of a construction firm in Balthara village in Bihar state's Jamui district Tuesday and abducted the staff. The workers were released near the Batia forest in the district, the IANS news agency quoted a police official as saying. The Maoists were forced to release the hostages because of intense combing operations by the police, said SK Bharadwaj, the additional director general of Bihar police. Balthara is located about 200 kilometres south-east of Bihar capital Patna. Police suspect that the Maoists abducted the workers after the firm, which is building a bridge in the area, refused to pay protection money. Maoist rebels are active in more than one-third of India's 626 administrative districts. The rebels say they are fighting for the rights of tribal, landless and poor people.
