Six abducted poll officials rescued after night-long gunbattle

Six abducted polling officials, including two state police jawans, were today rescued from the clutches of naxals after an overnight encounter between CRPF and the guerrillas in Jharkhand's Latehar district.

The officials were kidnapped yesterday from Kumanuli village of Latehar district, about 125 kms from Ranchi, when they were on their way to their respective polling stations, CRPF sources here said.

"The 134th batallion of the force entered into a pitched gunbattle with the naxals last evening and a fierce encounter ensued which ended early morning today with the rescue of six poll officials," they said.

The naxals had taken the kidnapped officials to the deep jungles following which a massive search and rescue operation was launched by the force.